When Draco Met Hermione
by KissyFit
Summary: UPDATED! ONe more chapter to go! AU FIC: A parody of When Harry Met Sally. Draco and Hermione meet for the first time after muggle college and begin a lovehate relationship that spans ten years....
1. Default Chapter

"When Draco Met Hermione"  
  
In another time, another place, somehow, Draco Malfoy decided it was best for him to pursue a life as a muggle. Hermione Granger, a brilliant student who attended Salem School of Witchcraft decided to pursue a muggle education upon graduation. This is a very AU fic, a bit of your fave characters here and there. If you haven't seen "When Harry met Sally," I suggest you see it ASAP..  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing except for the idea and well, that's it.  
  
P.S. Review!!! And if you have time, take a look at my other fics:-D Thanks!  
  
Chapter One: The Drive  
  
The background was a majestic looking building complete with pillars and ivy sprawling all over the sides and onto the lawn. The Greek revival seemed like an all too perfect background for a couple who was passionately kissing on the lawn.  
  
"I love you," said the petite blond. Her name was Amanda and she was in near tears at the thought that her fabulous boyfriend, Draco Malfoy was leaving for New York City in less than a few minutes.  
  
Draco smiled at the girl, thinking how easy it was for muggles to fall in love without the help of a love potion. It was as if they were automatically infatuated with the person that would pay attention to them. Amanda was one of those fabulously wealthy girls from a prominent Chicago family, obviously worthy of Draco's wealth and stature in the wizarding world. But he knew it wouldn't last, she would never understand his world. Despite his indifference to the girl, he bent down and hugged her, "I love you."  
  
The couple resumed to kiss when a car pulled up to the curb and a very annoyed brunette witnessed the entire scene.  
  
"AHEM!"  
  
Amanda broke the kiss and blushed as she saw her friend tapping the wheel in obvious annoyance.  
  
"Oh, hi Hermione. Hermione, this is Draco Malfoy." At the mention of his name, Hermione's eyes narrowed a bit and darkened, but she merely nodded her head in his direction. "Drackey, this is Hermione Granger."  
  
Now, Hermione and Amanda had attended the same prep school before Hermione found out she was a witch. She had spent the last seven years at Salem School of Witchcraft, an all girl's school, before she was accepted into the University of Chicago. She was able to attend because aside from her magic classes, she also had a muggle tutor meet with her everyday after school and the whole summer so that she would be able to pursue a muggle college education. She and Amanda ended up being roommates their first year, then kept in touch the rest of college. Hermione was moving to New York City in hopes of being a writer. Coincidentally, Amanda's current beau was heading to NYC as well, so Amanda literally begged until Hermione agreed to give him a ride.  
  
Draco studied the brunette in the car. She was driving what he now knew was called an SUV, and from the looks of it, it was an extremely large Escalade. 'Big car for a small girl,' he thought.  
  
"Nice to meet you."  
  
"Do you want to drive the first shift?"  
  
Draco shook his head, "No, you're there already so you can start."  
  
"Well, the trunk's open," said Hermione, who was eyeing the luggage on the curb.  
  
Draco lugged his bags to the trunk and slid into the front seat. Draco rolled down the window and gave Amanda one last kiss.  
  
Amanda sighed and got back on the curb, "Call me."  
  
"I'll call you as soon as I get there."  
  
"Oh! Call me from the road!"  
  
"I'll call you before that!"  
  
"I love you!"  
  
"I love you!"  
  
Hermione watched the display between Amanda and Draco for a few more moments before pressing down hard on the horn.  
  
HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNNNKKKKKKKK!!!!!!!!!!  
  
"Sorry," said Hermione as she looked at the stunned couple.  
  
Draco looked a bit annoyed. He looked back at Amanda and blew her a kiss. "I miss you already."  
  
"And I miss you already Drackey!"  
  
"Bye Mandy."  
  
"Bye."  
  
Hermione waved at Amanda and drove towards the exit to the campus. She looked over at Draco and smirked.  
  
"So, how did a wizard with your status end up in a muggle university?"  
  
Draco looked at Hermione in amazement. "My father is a feeble man; I wanted to experience something new. How did an American like you end up with a bit of a British accent?"  
  
"Well, both my parents are from London, I was suppose to attend Hogwarts until my father found out it was co-educational, and well, he's a bit overprotective, so they wrote to the Headmaster at Salem since they found out from the Hogwarts Headmaster that it was an all girls school. My parents are muggles; they are very set in their ways."  
  
"Hmph," was all Draco managed to get out.  
  
Hermione continued to talk. "Well, as for this trip, I have it all figured out. It's an eighteen hour trip which breaks down into six shifts of three hours each of alternatively we could break it down by mileage. Now, we COULD apparate, but the ministry, and my parents insist that if I insist on writing in the muggle world, I better get more accustomed to acting and living as a muggle. Now what's your excuse for not apparating?"  
  
Draco, the whole time Hermione was speaking, was reaching in the back seat where one of his bags was. Hermione watched him stretch to the back, hoping he was at least paying a smidgen of attention to what she was talking about.  
  
"There's a map back there....I marked the places of where we could change shifts if you still want to continue the drive with me..."  
  
Draco plopped back into the front seat with a bag of grapes in his hand. He offered them to Hermione, who politely declined.  
  
"No thanks, I don't like to eat between meals."  
  
Draco shrugged and spit out a seed, not realizing that the window was closed. He grinned and rolled the window down.  
  
"I think I can deal with the long drive. Never really been on one and apparating makes me a bit lightheaded. Why don't you tell me the story of your life?"  
  
Hermione gave him an incredulous look. "The story of my life?"  
  
"We've got eighteen hours to kill before we hit New York." Draco pushed the seat back and propped his feet up on the dashboard.  
  
"Well, the story of my life isn't even going to get us out of Chicago. I mean, nothing's happened to me yet. That's why i'm going to live as a muggle and move to New York."  
  
"So something can happen to you?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Like what?"  
  
Hermione gave Draco a small smile, "I can go into Journalism, hopefully become a reporter. Then eventually I want to go back to the wizarding world and start my own magazine."  
  
"So you want to write about things that happen to other people?"  
  
Hermione looked a bit offended that he had been so patronizing in his tone of voice. "That's one way to look at it."  
  
Draco turned to face Hermione. "Suppose nothing happens to you. Suppose you lived out your whole life and nothing happens; you never meet anybody, you never become anything, and finally you die in one of those New York deaths which nobody notices for a fortnight until the smell drifts into the hallway?"  
  
Hermione cringed at the thought, but she wasn't about to let some snobby prat from England put her off her dreams.  
  
"Amanda mentioned you had a dark side. Shame she knows nothing of your family's previous 'associations' with people who have dark sides."  
  
Draco's smirk melted. He knew Hermione was mentioning the fact that the Malfoys had once heavily supported Voldemort before his defeat in Draco's sixth year. After that, Lucious Malfoy went certifiably crazy and left his wife Narcissa and son Draco to attend to the rest of the Malfoy fortune and businesses. Draco gladly accepted Voldemort's defeat, and promptly fled to America before his father regained his sanity.  
  
Draco's smirk returned after a moment, which was directed at Hermione. "That's what drew her to me."  
  
"Your dark side?" Hermione contained the laugh that wanted to escape from her mouth. 'This is going to be too long of a trip,' she thought.  
  
"Sure," said Draco with renewed confidence. "Why, don't you have a dark side?" Hermione shook her head and continued to concentrate on the road. Draco leaned back into the front seat. "No, you're probably one of those cheerful people who dot their "i's" with little hearts."  
  
That comment definitely struck a cord in the young witch. 'How DARE he think I am a frivolous child!' Hermione took a deep breath.  
  
"I have just as much of a dark side as the next person!" Hermione mentally cursed herself for the pathetic retort.  
  
Draco was not about to be challenged, and he could feel a small one coming on.  
  
"Oh yeah, when I buy a new book, I always read the last page first. That way, in case I die before I finish I know how it ends. That, my friend, is a dark side."  
  
Hermione shook her head. "That doesn't mean you're deep or anything. Ugh, I mean, yes, basically i'm a happy person...."  
  
"So am I."  
  
".....and I don't see that there's anything wrong with that!"  
  
"Of course not, you're too busy being happy. Do you ever think about death?" Draco stared out the window watching Hermione's reflection on the glass. The girl had clearly never met anyone like him, and from the sour look on her face, she was likely to throw him out of the car while it was moving. This gave Draco more of a reason to piss her off; it was one of the things he was good at.  
  
"Yes," answered Hermione after some time.  
  
"Sure you do a fleeting thought that jumps in and out of the transient of your mind. I spend hours, I spend DAYS...."  
  
"Do you think that makes you a better person?" Hermione could not BELIEVE this guy. One of the riches wizards she had ever met and he was sitting in the front seat of her car soiling their conversation with thoughts of death!  
  
Draco was getting a bit annoyed at miss sunshine in the driver's seat, that and he wanted to be the sole contributor to the conversation.  
  
"Look, when the shit comes down, I'm gonna be prepared and you're not, that's all I'm saying."  
  
"And in the mean time you're going to ruin your life waiting for it."  
  
And with that, there was a long period of silence as Hermione and Draco drove into the evening. 


	2. Great Sex

Thank you to everyone who reviewed the first chapter (all 3 of you! He he). I really enjoy writing this stuff :-D  
  
Chapter Two: Great Sex  
  
After a few hours of driving, Hermione and Draco had switched places. They were presently arguing in the car about the muggle movie "Casablanca."  
  
"You're wrong," claimed Hermione.  
  
"I'm not wrong," insisted Draco, "he wants.."  
  
"NO! You're wrong."  
  
"...he wants her to leave, that's why he put her on the plane."  
  
Hermione shook her head, "I don't think she wants to stay."  
  
Draco laughed and gave Hermione a look that said he was determined to win the argument. "Of course she wants to stay! Wouldn't you rather be with Humphrey Bogart than the other guy?"  
  
"I don't want to spend the rest of my life in Casablanca married to a man who runs a bar! I probably sound very snobbish to you, but I don't." Hermione crossed her arms across her chest as if to make that action a final point in her argument.  
  
Draco sighed, "You'd rather be in a passionless marriage?"  
  
"And be the first lady of the United States." Hermione was standing firm on her argument.  
  
"Than live with the man you've had the greatest sex of your life with, and just because he owns a bar and that's all he does?"  
  
"Yes," said Hermione. Her voice was quavering a bit, but she was determined to make her point. "And so had any woman in her right mind. Women are very practical, even Ingrid Bergman, which is why she gets on the plane at the end of the movie."  
  
At this point, Draco was getting rather hungry. He saw a small diner on the lonely highway they were on and pulled in.  
  
"I understand," said Draco before he got out of the car.  
  
"What? What?"  
  
"Nothing."  
  
"What?" Hermione was getting visibly annoyed.  
  
"Forget about it."  
  
"For..what? Forget about what?"  
  
"It's not important." 'Boy,' thought Draco, 'it easy as hell to get on this girl's nerves.'  
  
"So? Just tell me!"  
  
Draco sighed and gave Hermione a look that one gives a patient who is on their death bed. "Obviously, you haven't had great sex yet." Draco got out of the car and walked into the diner with Hermione fast at his heels.  
  
"Two please," said Draco to the waitress at the door. The young lady just looked at him and popped the gum in her mouth. 'Disgusting muggle habit,' thought Draco. She pointed a hot pink nail in the direction of a table on the far side of the diner.  
  
"Over there."  
  
Hermione followed Draco to the table and sat down fuming.  
  
"YES I HAVE."  
  
"No you haven't," said Draco as he opened his menu.  
  
"It just so happens," said Hermione in a curt tone, "that I have had plenty of good sex." The restaurant suddenly became extremely quiet, and Hermione finally realized how loudly she had said that. She slumped down in her seat as Draco grinned.  
  
"With who?"  
  
"What?" Hermione was looking at her menu and trying to compose herself after her little outburst. The last thing she wanted was to look at Draco. She knew he was smirking at her.  
  
Draco leaned across the table and pushed down the menu so he could see Hermione's face.  
  
"With whom did you have this great sex?"  
  
Hermione blushed to the roots of her hair. "I am not going to tell you that!"  
  
"Fine," said Draco, "don't tell me." He crossed his arms over his chest, leaned back, and to Hermione's dismay, he smirked the whole time.  
  
Hermione huffed and mumbled under her breath. Draco leaned forward again and tilted her chin up. She glared at him, "Shel Gordon."  
  
Draco could barely contain himself. "Shel? ShelDON? No, no, you didn't have great sex with....SHELDON!"  
  
"I did too!" Hermione's fist hit the table, causing some of the silverware to fall on the ground. She found herself once again the center of attention in the small diner. She bent down to pick up the silverware, completely aware that Draco had some scathing or sarcastic comment to make once she was done cleaning up her mess. 'Who does this guy think he is? Draco Malfoy, big deal.'  
  
Hermione finished picking up the silverware and laid them on the corner of the table so the waitress could pick them up. She stared across the table where Draco was staring back with a vacant expression. Hermione opened her mouth to say something when Draco held up his hand. Her mouth closed, a frown left on her face.  
  
"No, you didn't. A SHELDON can do your muggle taxes. If you need someone to re-grow your bones, Sheldon would be you man, but humping and pumping is not Sheldon's strong suit. It's the name." Draco leaned back on his chair and pretended to swoon. "Do it to me 'Sheldon,' you're an animal 'Sheldon,' ride me big 'Sheldon.' Draco looked at Hermione who was a big taken aback by his 'dramatization.' He SMIRKED, "Doesn't work."  
  
Just then, the waitress came to their table, pad and pen in hand.  
  
"Hi, what can I get ya?"  
  
Draco perused his menu, a little annoyed that he picked this place to eat. He never understood the purpose of little urn down establishments such as the diner where he and Hermione were sitting now. Nor did he understand how casual the service was.  
  
"I'll have a number three."  
  
Hermione looked up from her menu and gave the waitress a weak smile. She was still a bit flustered at the conversation she and Draco had been having, "I'd like the chef salad please with the oil and vinegar on the side and the apple pie a la mode."  
  
The waitress was scribbling on her pad, "Chef and apple a la mode," she mumbled out loud. She looked at the couple in front her, waiting to see if there was anything else that was needed.  
  
Hermione cleared her throat so that the waitress would stop staring at Draco. " I would like the pie heated and I don't want the ice cream on top I want it on the side and I'd like strawberry instead of vanilla if you have it and if not then no ice cream just whipped cream but only if it's real if it's out of the can then nothing."  
  
Draco and the waitress gave Hermione looks of bewilderment. Hermione took a breath and sat back in her chair.  
  
The waitress was bit confused, "Not even the pie?"  
  
"No," explained Hermione, "just the pie, but then not heated."  
  
"Uh huh."  
  
"What?" Hermione glared at the waitress who promptly glared back and walked away.  
  
Draco was amused at this girl. She was very precise, obviously brought up well, but a bit uptight. Not someone he would EVER get involved in, she was too bossy and particular and well, not much of a challenge for him. He looked at Hermione who seemed satisfied that they were finally going to eat.  
  
"So, how come you broke up with Sheldon?"  
  
"How do you know we broke up?" Hermione regretted that retort as soon as it left her mouth, she knew she had retaliated too fast.  
  
"Because, if you didn't break up you wouldn't be here with me, you'd be off with Sheldon, the wonder schlong."  
  
Draco was enjoying the fact that she was getting extremely irritated. He sensed it took very little to push her buttons.  
  
Hermione leaned forward a bit and scowled. "First of all, I am not *with* you, and second of all it is none of your business why we broke up."  
  
"You're right, you're right," Draco held up his hands in mock surrender, "I don't want to know."  
  
"Well, if you must know," Draco smiled at the fact he pushed another right button. Hermione continued to defend herself, "it was because he was very jealous and I had these days-of-the-week knickers."  
  
Draco pressed down on the table as if he was pressing a buzzer, "EHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Hermione frowned, and Draco continued, "I'm sorry I need a judge's ruling on this....days-of-the-week knickers?"  
  
Hermione put on her bravest face, "Yes, they had the days of the week on them and I thought they were sort of funny. And then one day Sheldon says to me, 'You never wear Sunday.' It was all suspicious, where was Sunday? Where was Sunday? And I told him and he didn't believe me."  
  
"Why?" Draco was enjoying her little defense story.  
  
"They don't make Sunday."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Well, they were muggle knickers, they don't make Sunday because muggles believe in God."  
  
Before Draco could even come up with anything to say, the waitress came out with their food.  
  
Hermione and Draco ate in silence. They actually missed the bickering a bit, but they were both tired and hungry. 


	3. Never Be Friends

Thank you all for taking the time to read all of this. Feel free to voice your opinions, negative or positive (hopefully positive). Email: smoothsailing007@yahoo.com or AIM: kissyfitfanfic Happy reading!  
  
*More thanks and such at the end of the story:-D*  
  
Chapter three: Never Be Friends  
  
Hermione and Draco ate in silence. Occasionally one of them would grunt (Draco) or clear their throat (Hermione) while pointing to either the salt and pepper shakers, or the napkins.  
  
~*~  
  
After their plates were cleared away, Hermione took the check as soon as it was left on the table and began to calculate their share.  
  
"Ok, well, fifteen percent of my share is........six dollars and ninety cents. I am going to put down seven." Hermione began to count out her money when she realized that Draco was staring at her. "What? You DO did convert some wizard money to muggle dollars didn't you?" Draco nodded, but he continued to stare. Hermione was getting visibly annoyed, "What is it? Do I have something on my face?"  
  
"You're a very attractive person."  
  
"Oh," said Hermione, a bit taken aback by the comment, "thank you."  
  
But Draco wasn't done, "Amanda never said how attractive you were."  
  
Hermione was pretending to busy herself by folding and unfolding her dollar bills. She wasn't quite used to getting compliments, especially long drawn out ones, nor was she accustomed to getting them from men who looked like Draco. 'Damn!' Hermione silently cursed herself for ever THINKING that Draco was somewhat attractive. 'Just fold the bills Hermione,' she thought. She looked at Draco with a frown; she knew she had to respond to him because he would just egg her on.  
  
"Well, maybe she doesn't think I'm attractive."  
  
Draco smirked. 'Damn him,' thought Hermione,' him and that damn smirk!'  
  
"I don't think it's a matter of opinion, empirically, you are attractive."  
  
Hermione was still astonished that Draco would even have the nerve to compliment her in such a way. Her pursed her lips and stared at him with cold eyes.  
  
"Amanda is my friend." "So?"  
  
"So?! You're coming onto me!" Hermione's voice was sharp and Draco didn't realize until then how easy it was to get under Hermione's skin.  
  
"No I wasn't." Draco sounded like a child defending himself after being accused of something by his mother. He looked at Hermione whose jaw had dropped at his comment.  
  
"What? Can't a man say a woman is attractive without it being a come-on?" The look on Hermione's face told Draco exactly what she thought about being called attractive...by a man.  
  
Not willing to concede to Hermione's accusations, Draco continued his defense.  
  
"Alright, alright, let's just say for the sake of argument that it was a come-on. What do you want me to do about it? I take it back, ok? I take it back.  
  
Hermione was not buying it. "You can't take it back."  
  
"Why the hell not?"  
  
"Because," said Hermione in a very matter-of-fact way, "it's already OUT THERE."  
  
Draco was annoyed at Hermione's reaction. At first he thought it was cute, now he just wanted to be as far away from the brunette.  
  
"Oh Merlin, what are we suppose to do, call the Ministry of Magic? Perhaps the muggle police force?" Draco shook his head, "It's already out there," he muttered in a mocking tone.  
  
Hermione was embarrassed and peeved at the same time. She took a sip of her water and sighed, "Just let it lie, ok?"  
  
Draco threw his hands up in the air, "Great! Let it lie! That's my policy." Draco slumped down in his seat, scowling in Hermione's direction. "That's what I always say," continued Draco, "let it lie! Hey," he looked at her intently across the table with a softened expression, "Wanna spend the night at a motel?" The expression on Hermione's face was priceless, shock and anger written all over her face. Draco smirked. 'Damn him!' thought Hermione.  
  
Draco let out a laugh, "Ha! See what I did? I didn't let it lie."  
  
"Draco.."  
  
"I said I wouldn't let it lie, and a Malfoy always keeps his word." 'Insolent bastard!' thought Hermione. "Draco, look, we're just going to be friends, ok?"  
  
'What the hell is this broad babbling about?' Draco was getting very agitated at this woman, with her over analyze every goddamn thing he said attitude. Fine, she thinks I'm coming on to her, she thinks I'm falling all over her, FINE!  
  
"Great," sniffed Draco, sarcasm dripping from his mouth like venom, "Friends. It's the best thing really." With that, he stood up and walked out of the diner towards the car.  
  
Hermione shook her head and paid for the meal herself.  
  
'This is going to be a very long trip,' she thought.  
  
~*~  
  
Draco and Hermione continued to drive for almost an hour before anyone spoke. Draco was the first to break the silence.  
  
"You realize of course that we can never be friends."  
  
Hermione took a moment to look at the blond man driving her car. Anger was seeping through her veins at this comment.  
  
"Is this about being a pureblood? Don't you realize that YOUR family might be the only one in the wizarding world holding on to that? Afraid to 'taint' your precious blood with mixing with the likes of me?" Hermione huffed and slammed back into her seat.  
  
Draco shook his head and looked at Hermione with grin. "Merlin's beard Granger; YOU of all people should realize that I don't give a damn about that shit. Did I NOT attend a muggle university? Did I not decide to live in the muggle world and make a living for myself AS A MUGGLE? Am I not DATING a muggle? Did I not AGREE TO GET A RIDE with YOU who I thought would be a muggle in lieu of apparating in order to get used to being a damn muggle?! "  
  
"My apologies," whispered Hermione, who knew she once again jumped to conclusions.  
  
"Anyways," said Draco, obviously dismissing the previous part of their conversation, "What I was trying to say was...and this is not a 'come-on' in any way, shape, or form, is that men and women can't be friends because the sex part always gets in the way."  
  
Draco shut his mouth and waited patiently for Hermione to snap back at him about how she had male friends who she had never even thought of sleeping with and vice versa.  
  
Sure enough, after a moment of silence, Hermione found something to say back to him, and it was exactly what he had predicted. "That's not true." Draco just smirked and Hermione saw it. It was grating on her nerves that he was so....so...UGH! "I have a number of men friends and there is no sex."  
  
"No you don't," said Draco in a very matter-of-fact way.  
  
"Yes I do!"  
  
"No...You...Don't."  
  
"YES I DO!"  
  
Draco took a turn in the road rather sharply which caused Hermione to slam against the door. A small laugh escaped Draco's mouth and Hermione had to round up every bit of self-control to not smack him.  
  
"Hermione, you only think you do. And now you're going to get all offended."  
  
"Well, I should be! Are you trying to say that I'm shagging all these blokes without my knowledge?"  
  
"No, what I'm saying is that they all want to shag you."  
  
"They do not."  
  
"Do too."  
  
"They do not."  
  
"Do too."  
  
"Well, almighty and all knowing Draco, how do YOU know? Are you some kind of bloody seer? I'll have you know I don't believe it and if you were a seer you would have seen this whole trip and seen what an ASS you are. Knowing you, you probably are one and you're only on this trip because you think it's brilliantly funny to irritate the hell out of me!"  
  
"Sorry to burst your bubble Miss Priss, but I am no seer. And if I was, you're right, I would have gone on this trip just to irritate the hell out of you." Draco laughed at the thought, and took another turn too sharply.  
  
Hermione gripped the handle on the side of the door. "This is not some speedway MALFOY, don't wreck my car. And my friends do NOT want to sleep with me."  
  
She obviously wasn't going to drop the subject unless she got the last word in, and Draco always got the last word.  
  
"They do." Draco pulled into a gas station and hopped out. Hermione got out herself and walked to the driver's side to begin driving again.  
  
"How do you know? Hmmm?"  
  
"Because, GRANGER, no man can be friends with a woman he finds attractive. He always wants to have sex with her."  
  
"So you're saying that a man can be friends with a woman if he finds her unattractive?" Hermione looked at Draco who was fixing his hair in the mirror. 'Damn him...sitting there so bloody sure of himself! I was the smartest witch at Salem and the smartest girl at University; he is not going to get the best of me!"  
  
"Nah," Draco continued to fix his hair, "you pretty much want to shag'em too." He turned towards Hermione with a look of triumph over the fact that he was so sure of his 'theory.'  
  
Hermione put the car in gear and began to drive the last leg of the trip. 'We're almost there,' she thought, carefully concentrating on the road. 'I'm going to drop him off and it will be good riddance to bad attitudes and ridiculous conversations.'  
  
"Draco?" Draco was half asleep in the front seat. He opened one eye, "Yeah?"  
  
"What if they don't want to have sex with you?"  
  
"Who?"  
  
"The friend. You say that a bloke will want to bag a lady regardless of whether or not he finds her attractive, but what if he just really doesn't want to?"  
  
"It doesn't matter, because the sex thing is already out there so the 'friendship' is ultimately doomed and that is the end of the story."  
  
"Well, that's a crappy ending." Hermione adjusted her mirrors and tapped her fingers along to the music. "I guess we're not going to be friends then."  
  
"Guess not."  
  
"That's too bad you know. You are the only person I would have known in New York."  
  
Thanks for reading! Here are a couple of "Thanks" and answers to some questions: Violet- Thanks for reading*Rizka-I know it's weird that she didn't attend Hogwart's, but I have my reasons. I promise it will make sense!*Arycka Malfoy-Go see the movie, it's a pretty cute/sarcastic love story.*Dragonwitch27-I liked the whole "Days of the Week Knickers" thing too.*Macabre-thanks for the feedback..promise to work on dialogue...i would love to hear your suggestions*Sally-Anne Perks-I'm glad you're liking it even though you mentioned that AU's are not your thing.*Harry Potter Wiccan- thanks for reading!*Mari-Yup. It's the movie with the fake orgasm scene, and that scene is DEFINITELY going to be in this story.*Lily-Hermione honked the horn at Draco and Amanda not because she was jealous, but because she planned out the whole trip on a schedule and she didn't want to start out late because Draco wanted to snog for fifteen minutes( *Alexa Donaghy-Thanks for loving the story!*Headmaster Cromwell-thanks for reading and your feedback! 


	4. new york, new york

**Chapter 4:  ****New York**! ******New York**!****

_Thank you to everyone who has been so great at reviewing and giving me excellent feedback!  Writing for such a great audience makes the experience ten times better__J__  Happy __Reading__!_

~*~

Before either one of them knew it, they were in New York City.  Skyscrapers loomed above them.  The noise of the city was overwhelming.  It was unlike the hustle and bustle of London.  This was _NEW YORK! _

Hermione pulled up to a posh looking brownstone on the west side.  She looked up and frowned. '_Stupid Malfoy and his bloody riches. Well, at least it's good riddance!'_

Draco jumped out of the car as soon as it pulled up the curb.  The doorman was immediately at Draco's side retrieving the luggage from the trunk and the backseat.

"I'll be taking your bags to your apartment, Mr. Malfoy.  Your mother has already had everything furnished and ready for you.  Will there be anything else for you sir?"  

Draco smiled at the man and tucked a bill into the man's jacket pocket.  "That will be all Mr. Billings.  My mother has told me nothing but good things about you."

"My pleasure sir," said Billings as he took Draco's things into the building.

"Well," said Draco as he looked at Hermione through the open driver's side window "thanks for the ride."

'_Snobby prat,' thought Hermione.  She mustered up a small smile.  "Yes, it was……….__interesting."_

"It was nice knowing you."

"Yeah," said Hermione almost wistfully.  Draco leaned in and took her hand and shook it rather forcefully.  Hermione grabbed it back and shook it as if she was making sure her bones were still intact.

"Yes, well, _Draco," Hermione spat out his name.  Draco smirked. Even though he was being quite a gentleman, she was still irritated by him.  "Have a nice life Malfoy."_

Draco smirked, "You too Granger."  Draco walked away from the car and towards the entrance to his new home.  He turned back for a moment, but she was already gone.

~*~

Hermione pulled up in front of a rather cozy flat.  '_Well, it's not the upper west end, but it's perfect,' thought Hermione as she unloaded her car.  She looked at the brick building her father had chosen for her in the area of Chelsea.  She loved the tree lined street.  It almost looked as if she _wasn't_ living in the middle of the city.  Down on the corner was a grocery shop, and 3 blocks away was Washington Square and New York University.  It was an eclectic area full of people who, Hermione hoped, were as intellectually stimulating as her friends in college had been._

She gathered her bags and walked up the steps to the building.  Her apartment was on the first floor.  She noticed that her father had already placed a doormat on the floor that had the words **"HOME SWEET HOME"** written on it.  '_Oh dad,' Hermione smiled and unlocked the door.  Her mother and father had flown in from London before her graduation to pick out her apartment and furnish it.  It was a nicely furnished apartment with simple beige couches and brightly colored and patterned pillows.  The small dining room had a wonderful view of a small park where Hermione could see several children and mothers playing.  Her room was simple as well.  Crisp white sheets and pale yellow accents.  _

Hermione flopped onto the bed and smiled.  She was ready for the world. No more long drive and especially, **no more Draco Malfoy!  With Draco as the last thing on her mind, Hermione fell asleep.**

~*~

Draco took the lift up to his new penthouse apartment.   '_Leave it to mother to spare no expense, even though her husband is nearly certifiably loony, and she no longer carries any social power since the fall of Voldemort.'_

Once he reached his new home, Draco surveyed his surroundings.  The lift went directly to a small foyer tastefully decorated in late 19th century English furniture.  A small regency table topped with summer flowers decorated the small entrance hall.  Two French doors served as the entrance to the apartment.  His bags were placed near the doors.

Key in hand, Draco opened the doors and brought his bags in.  Dark French and English furniture, again from the 19th century, decorated the large apartment.  Several white pillars were artfully scattered around the large living room and sitting area.  A fireplace and floor to ceiling view of Central Park complete the view.  His home was decorated mostly in dark green and black, for obvious reasons.  He looked at the living room and sitting room area, approving the furniture as he looked at them.  By the fireplace was a pair of bergeres chairs were across from a green silk settee. A satinwood console separated the living room from the sitting area.  The sitting area contained some muggle entertainment units such as a television, a very state of the art sound system and what Draco recalled to be a DVD player.  Several muggle movies were on the shelves, as well as an array of music discs.  His mother had left out the handbooks and manuals for all the equipment.  Draco then saw a note on pale green parchment on top of the manuals.  It was from his mother.

_Draco darling,_

_Why on earth would you ever want to live as a muggle?  This "__New York_" place is DREADFUL!  Aside from some fantastic shoes I bought, everything else seems, well, dilapidated.  Well, I hope your flat is furnished to your liking, I basically replicated your suite here at the manor.  Speaking of the manor, your father and I (well, mostly myself, seeing as your father is completely mad now that he's persona non grata among wizarding society here in England) are going to close up the manor for the time being and live at the villa in Monte Carlo.  Your father hopes to meet some proper people who will be less……..callous towards our family at this time.  Do try and reconsider coming home.  Your father, although he never said it much, loves you and wishes you were here to run the affairs for the family.  __

_Well, best regards to you on your new…….well, choice of lifestyle.  Do your best to not soil our name further than you have in the past by going against out beliefs and siding with that dreadful Potter boy.  If you need any funds, the __New York_ branch of Gringotts is located at the Port Authority station.  Just go to the locker area and tap your wand on locker number 25.  A door will appear and there is a small branch there.  You have sufficient funds set up for you there.  I have also acquired a muggle credit card that you should be able to figure out how it works.  Owl post us dear at the Malfoy Villa in ___Monte Carlo_.__

_Regards,_

_Mother_

Draco stared at the note.  '_Humph,´ he thought as he made his way to his room.  The room had a large directoire style bed, obviously made by 19th century "_ebenistes," _ or furniture makers.  He flopped onto the bed, note in hand and sighed as his eyelids drooped and his thoughts wandered….._

'_No more mum, no more Lucius, no more awful drive………….and no more Hermione……."_


	5. We Meet Again

**Chapter 5:  We Meet Again**

~*~

_Five years later……………….._

The airport was filled to the brim with people running from one terminal to another.  Luggage and bodies were bumping against each other.  In the center of Terminal A, a couple stood their ground as they passionately kissed and held onto each other as if they were the only ones in the terminal.

A man with shocking blond hair walked right past the kissing couple, and then stopped.  He watched them for a bit, and then a small smirk formed on his face.  He walked away from them and walked back towards the couple purposely bumping into the man.

The couple broke away from each other and the man with stared at the blond man.

"Harry?  Harry Potter!  I _thought_ it was you!" Draco grabbed Harry's hand and shook it furiously as if he had wanted to see him for years.

Harry adjusted his glasses and smiled. "Draco, Draco how are you doing?"

"Good!  How are you doing?"

"I'm……fine."  Harry was obviously a bit taken back by being, well, interrupted, even if it was an old friend.  The woman he was with was obviously miffed, and was not trying to hide the fact that she was irritated.  Draco looked over at the woman, and his smirk grew larger.  This encounter was going to be more fun for him that anything else.

Draco turned back to Harry, "Yeah, I was just walking by and I _thought it was you and there it is, it __is you!"_

"Yea………"  Harry was not sure how to react, he had never seen Draco so, well, _enthusiastic_ about seeing him, or anyone for that matter.

"So Harry, are you still working for the ministry?"   Harry looked shocked that Draco would so blatantly mention something like that in front of his companion who could have been a muggle.  But Harry figured it was a slip and his partner didn't hear him……right?

"Oh, well, I am actually doing some seminars now, kind of like a motivational speaker so to speak.  Still in the same department, but different title and a bit more money."  

Draco knew it was grating on Harry's nerves that he was there, especially that he was making him discuss his work out in the middle of a muggle airport.  "Well, I think that's great Harry.  I guess you're on the American leg of your tour right?  Well, I myself have been a bit successful in a way, I'm working as a political consultant.  Very interesting."

Harry nodded and then turned towards his companion, "Draco, I would like you to meet Hermione Granger."  The brunette turned around and shot a look of death towards Draco. "Ummmm…..this is Draco Malfoy, an old school chum from England."

Hermione shook Draco's hand as if they were meeting for the first time.  She looked at him intently waiting for him to recognize her and say  something embarrassing about the small amount of time they spent together driving to the city five years ago, but the man said nothing, just shook her hand and let go.  It was as if she wasn't really there to begin with.

"Well, Harry, it was great to see you again, best of luck.  I've got a plane to catch."

"Yes, good seeing you too Draco!"

Draco picked up the bag he had placed on the ground and walked away.

As soon as he disappeared in the crowd, Hermione slumped against Harry and let out a relieved sigh. "Thank Merlin he couldn't place me!  We drove from college to New York five years ago and it was the _longest night of my life!"_

Harry straightened her out and brushed her hair off her face.  "What happened?"

"Well, he made a pass at me and when I said no, because he was at the time going with a girlfriend of mine…..umm………drat!  I can't even remember her name! Blast, Harry, you better not get involved with me, I am twenty-six years old and I can't even remember the name of the girl I was such good friends with that I wouldn't get involved with her boyfriend!"

Harry smiled down at Hermione.  He had met her at a bookstore in Greenwich Village when he was speaking to a small wizarding foundation in New York.  She was absolutely intriguing.  He had introduced her to many of his friends from Hogwarts who had moved to the states and made lives for themselves working with the New York Wizarding Community, or, like Hermione, leading muggle lives.  One of Hermione's best friends was a girl named Ginny Weasley, as well as her brother Ron and a girl named Lavender Brown who seemed to follow Ron around like a puppy. Looking at his muggle watch, he picked up Hermione's bags and began to walk her towards her gate.

"So, what happened?"  

Hermione, who was busy calculating the amount of time it would take for her to read the book she wanted to in the time she was in the air, absentmindedly mumbled a "when?"

"When, ummm, when Draco made a pass at you? And, well, I know you said you said no and………."

Hermione stopped walking and took Harry's hands in hers.  "Well, I said we could just be friends and he said that men and women can never be friends.  Do you think that's true?"

"No," said Harry, albeit a bit too fast for Hermione's liking.  "Harry,"  Hermione held his hand as they continued to walk through the terminal, "do you have any women friends, _just_ friends?"

"No…..well, not counting Ron's little sister, so, well, no……..but I'll get one if it's important to you!"

They reached the gate and Harry pulled Hermione in for a hug and a kiss.  As he was bending down to kiss her, Hermione jumped back and had a triumphant look on her face.  "Amanda Reese!  That was her name!"  

Harry just shook his head, he was used to Hermione's, well, quirkiness.  He hugged her and kissed her good-bye.  " I will miss you, I love you."

Hermione looked at Harry.  "You do?"

"Yes."

"Oh, well, I love you."

One last kiss and Hermione walked to the gate and then boarded the plane.

~*~

Hermione settled herself in her seat on the place and leaned back a bit and closed her eyes.  She was loved!  Not just by anyone, but by one of the most famous wizards of all time!  She just had to call her mum.  She thought about Harry and well, what it would have been like if they had been at Hogwarts together.  Would they have been friends?  With thoughts of Harry in mind, Hermione relaxed a little more before take-off.  

"Miss, would you like something to drink?"  Hermione opened her eyes and saw a flight attendant with a gigantic grin staring down at her.

The passenger next to Hermione thought he was addressing him, "Nothing for me thanks."  Hermione just shook her head and looked back at the woman in the aisle.

"Do you have any bloody mary mix?"

"Yes we do ma'am."

"Ok, well, here's what I want. Regular tomato juice, filled up about three quarters then add a splash, _just a splash_, of bloody mary mix, and a little piece of lime, but on the side."

As Hermione dictated her drink, the man sitting directly behind her could not even begin to believe it.  '_On the side?  The woman is still asking for things on the side?  Pity the muggles don't throw passengers out for being anal."  As soon as the flight attendant walked away, Draco Malfoy leaned over the seat so that he was looking at Hermione upside down._

"University of Chicago right?"

'_Oh blast…..here we  go…..'  Hermione turned around and faced him right side up.  "Yes."_

"Did you look this good at the University of Chicago?"

Hermione was dumbfounded.  '_How dare he?!'  "Well, no, I don't suppose so….."_

"Did we ever….you know……." Draco pumping his fist up and down.  Hermione turned beet red at the actions, as well as the fact that the man sitting next to her was grinning in anticipation to see just how _detailed_ their conversation was going to get.

"No!  Absolutely not!"  Hermione blushed an even deeper shade of red.  She turned to the man on her right, "Look, we drove from Chicago to New York together after graduation, that was _all_ there was to it!"

The man didn't look like he bought her explanation, but nodded nonetheless.  "Would you two like to sit together?"

Hermione shook her head in protest, but Draco grabbed a handful of her hair and prevented her from continuing to shake her head.  "That would be great!  Thank you," exclaimed Draco.

The man and Draco promptly switched places.  Hermione slumped down in her seat as Draco shifted around in his new one.  "Ahh, found me a good resting place for my bum.  So, you were good friends with, umm…..drats, what was her name…."

"Amanda.  I can't believe you don't remember her name!"

Draco waved over a flight attendant, then turned his attention back to Hermione, "What do you mean?  I remember!  Amanda, Amanda Rice."  Draco gave Hermione a smug smile.  He ordered a glass of water for the attendant, and sank back down in his seat.

"It was Reese you prat.  Her last name was _REESE."  Hermione snapped open her magazine that had been resting on her lap and proceeded to stare intently at it._

"Umm, well, it would do you some good if that magazine was right side up Granger."  Draco  smirked and flipped the magazine over.  Hermione huffed and straightened out the magazine.  "Look, Reese, ok, the last name was Reese.  What ever happened to her?"

"I have no idea."

"You have no idea?  Well, weren't you really good friends with her?  I never ended up shagging you to heaven and back because you were such _good bloody friends with her!"_

"Look," said Hermione through clenched teeth.  Her patience was wearing thin at every word Draco spoke.  "You were going with her.  I had no intention of _shagging  you no matter how much of a friend Amanda was to me!  She was a friend, best or not.  You insufferable prat!  You conniving jerk!  And to __think of all the places in the world, you are __here sitting next to _me_!"_

Draco watched Hermione's chest rise up and down as her anger began to subside.  Draco let her fume a bit more before he leaned back on his seat and turned his head to face Hermione's red one.  "So, was it worth it?  The sacrifice of not shagging me for a friend that you don't even keep in touch with?"

Hermione had calmed down a bit and was breathing normally again.  She scowled at the man behind her who had previously sat next to her.  He seemed a little too interested in their conversation for her comfort.  She turned around and looked intently at Draco.

"Well, Mr. _Big shot, **_you_ may not believe this, but I never considered _not_ sleeping with _you_ a sacrifice."  Hermione crossed her arms over her chest and had a smug look on her face as if she had won something big.  Draco realized that this was neither the time, nor the place to get her blood boiling.  "Fair enough, Fair enough," said Draco, bowing his head towards her as if she needed a physical showing that he had conceded to her.**_

"So, Granger, I remember you were going to be a gymnast."  Draco began to flip through an airline magazine while he made a slow attempt at keeping the conversation going.  

"I was going to be a _journalist_."  Draco smiled behind his magazine, '_the smallest things will do the trick,' he though.  "Right, journalist, that's what I said. So what happened to that?"_

Hermione, who was busy examining her bloody mary, gave up and pulled the blanket she brought on all her flights around her stomach and pulled her legs up and got into a more comfortable position…….to take a nap. She had been hoping that Draco would stop babbling about small things and leave her alone.  She shut her eyes and sat silently for a few moments.  Draco's question about what she had done in the last five years since they last saw each other hung in the air between them.

'_I wish I was able to hex him silly right now,' _ thought Hermione.  She had peeked out of one eye and saw that instead of being irritated that Hermione had blatantly ignored him, he was flipping through his airline magazine humming softly and occasionally glancing at her as if waiting for an answer.  '_Ugh!  Frustrating man! How is he getting to me like this!'  _Draco was watching the squirming figure under the blanket with much amusement.  He knew his unconcerned behavior in regards to her rudely ignoring her was eating away at her defenses.

Within a few moments, Hermione sat up, hair wild and all over her face.  She glared at Draco, gulped down her bloody mary and settled back down in her blanket.  She turned her head slightly to face Draco.  "I am a journalist and I work for Manhattan News."

Draco wasn't all that interested in what she did as much as what _he_ did that would irritate the hell out of her.  "That's great Granger!  And now you're with Harry Potter!  You're together, what, three weeks perhaps?"

Hermione gaped at him with an expression mixed with awe and irritation.  "It's been almost a month, yes, how did you know that?"

"He took you to the airport," said Draco very matter-of-factly.

Once again with the open-mouthed expression, Hermione just looked at him, now with more curiosity than ever.  Draco proceeded to explain further.  "You take someone to the airport, or say, to platform 9 ¾, or even to an apparition spot, it's clearly the beginning of a relationship.  See, _I've never taken anyone to an apparition spot or an airport at the beginning of a relationship."_

"Oh, and why is that Malfoy? Because you're limo driver will take you catch of the day for you?"

Draco wagged his finger in Hermione's face. "Bitter bitter Granger.  No, because eventually if things move on and you don't take them to wherever, airport, or apparition port, or even a broom landing, well, than someone will become a screeching harpy about 'Why didn't you take me to the airport anymore?' or 'Why did I have to go to the Broom Departure Terminal by myself this time?'  It will get tiresome."

Hermione just looked at him and then let out something that was suppose to sound like a sarcastic laugh, but instead it sounded like she had been smoking for year.  "It's amazing, you _look_ like a _normal person, but actually, you're like the avada kedavra curse."  Hermione shook her head.  She was still in awe at how __detached Draco was emotionally from everything, even taking someone one cared about to the freakin' airport!_

"Are you going to marry him?"  Hermione was startled out of her thoughts by Draco's voice, and his question.

"Malfoy, honestly, we have only known each other for about a _month_ and besides, neither one of us is looking to marry at the moment."

Draco gave her what she thought was a smile, "Well, I'm getting married."

A bit of bloody mary flew from Hermione's mouth as she nearly choked on the remainder of her drink.  "You are?"

"Mmm hmm."

"**_YOU, Draco Malfoy, are getting married?!"_**

"Umm…well, yes.  And you might want to take that jacket off and get soak it when you get off the plane. It's a damn good thing you didn't get me with that awful dramatic choking display."

"Who is she?  Is she real?"

Draco took out a handkerchief and brushed it over his dark suit jacket, just in case.  "Helen Helson, she's a witch who works as a muggle lawyer, and she's keeping her name."

"You're getting married.  Honestly, I never would have guessed……."

"Yeah," thought Draco, whose thoughts were broken by more laughing from Hermione. "Well," said Draco rather sternly, "what's so funny about that?"

"Oh," Hermione looked at the anger in Draco's face.  She pursed her lips and was ready for a verbal battle if it came down to it.  " Well, It's…..a…..well…….it's just so _optimistic _of you."

" Well, Miss-I-Know-Everything, you'd be surprised at what falling in love can do for you."

"You know what Malfoy, I think it's great.  It's nice to see you embracing life in this manner."  Hermione finally finished cleaning up her bloody mary mess.

Draco was amazed that Hermione didn't have anything scathing to say about his engagement.  "Well, yeah, plus after a while you get a little tired with the whole thing."

"What 'whole thing'?"  Hermione was back in curious mode, just waiting to see Draco show his 'Dark side' again.

"Well, since you asked, that whole life-of-a-single-guy thing.  You meet someone, you have the safe lunch, and you decide you like each other enough to move onto dinner.  You might go dancing, go back to her place, you have sex," Draco saw Hermione blush at the mention of the word, " and the minute I finish you know what goes through my mind?  How long do I have to lie here and hold her before I can get up and go home.  Like, is thirty seconds enough?"

Hermione was looking at him with a look of disgust,  "That's what all you men think after a shag?  Is that true?!"  A horrified look came over her face and Draco knew she was thinking of Mr. Potter.  He was going to make the moment last.

"Sure!  All men think that, including Harry Potter.  Don't forget,  we were mates in Hogwarts, I know of his past dirty deeds."  The looks that Hermione was giving him were priceless.  "All men think that way Granger.  How long do women want to be held after?  All night, right?"  Hermione nodded her head numbly, still shocked at Draco's revelation about men.  "See, there's your problem, somewhere between thirty seconds and all night is _your_ problem and the problem of women all over."

"Well," Hermione fluffed out her blanket and folded it neatly and placed it on her lap, "I will have you know Draco that I do _not have a problem!"_

Overhead a voice steamed through the speakers: **_Ladies and Gentlemen, we will be landing shortly.  Please fasten you seatbelts and thank you for flying Swifty Air!_**

****

"Yes you do," said Draco before Hermione turned away from him and buckled her seatbelt.

  
  



	6. Hermione and the dateafax

Chapter 6:  Hermione and the date-a-fax

**Thank you for all the wonderful feedback.  My apologies for the awful spelling and grammatical mistakes.  Think of them as creative potholes ok?  Thanks!  I'm updating as fast as I can!!!! **

**~*~**

The plane landed with barely slight 'thump!'  As soon as the seatbelt lights went off, Hermione literally leaped out of her seat and grabbed her carry-on bag and fled down the aisle pushing a few passengers aside.  Draco watched her and could hardly contain himself.  He casually straightened out his suit and took his briefcase from the overhead compartment.  He took his time getting off the plane.  Once he was in the terminal, the unmistakable mass of brown hair was just a few feet from him.  He quickened his pace and fell in stride with a very red-in-the-face Hermione.

"Staying over?"

Hermione looked at Draco with a face that was unreadable.  He knew he had gone to small lengths to offend her in any way, but she surely looked pissed.  "Yes," she hissed between her clenched teeth.

"Well then, would you like to have dinner?"  Hermione looked back at Draco with a look of hate in her eyes.  She turned her head and pretended to concentrate on the throng of people surrounding them heading towards the exit.  "Just as friends, Granger."  His words did nothing to slow Hermione's pace.

"I thought _you said that men and women couldn't be friends."_

Draco struggled to keep up with her pace. '_Must she walk so fast?  Where is she heading to that's more fun than me? Oh…well, probably someone who doesn't insult her all too much….'  _"Now, Herms, when did I say that?"

Hermione slowed her pace and walked in stride with Draco.  "First, don't ever, _ever, _call me 'Herms' again.  And you said it on the ride to New York."

"No no no, I never said _that."  From the look Hermione flashed his way, Draco knew better than to weasel himself out.  "Well, yes, you're absolutely right; I _did_ in fact say that.  Men and women absolutely cannot be friends."  Hermione was pleased enough that he admitted it, "_Unless,_" Draco paused for a bit and Hermione slowed her pace again to hear what he was about to say, "both of them are involved with other people then they can."  Hermione realized what he was saying.  She was with Harry, and well, Draco was engaged.  But she was still not buying it, and Draco sensed it.  "This is an amendment to the earlier rule, if the two people are in relationships; the pressure of possibility of involvement is lifted. Wait," Draco paused and shook his head, then jogged up to catch back up to Hermione who was looking like she was losing interest in his speech, " that doesn't work either because what happens then is that the person you're involved __with can't understand why you need to be friends with the person you're just friends with.  Trust me, Potter knows me, and my reputation has tainted me.  Like, it means something is __missing from their relationship and 'why do you have to go outside to get it?'  Then when you say, 'no no no, it's not true! Nothing is missing from the relationship!', the person you're involved with then accuses you of being secretly attracted to the person you're just friends with, which we probably are, I mean, come on, who the hell are we kidding, let's face it, which brings us back to the earlier rule before the amendment which is __men and women can't be friends, so where does that leave us?"_

A very amused grin played on Hermione's face.  Draco had just gone full circle on a completely useless tirade meant to defend himself.  "Draco…."

"Yes?"

"Good bye."

Draco looked at Hermione as she stepped onto a muggle escalator and descended up.  "Right! Ok!"  But she was no longer in view.

~*~

**_Another five years go by…._******

Hermione, Ginny, and Lavender sat around an outdoor café that overlooked central park.  The day was clear and sunny and they were in the middle of hearing about another one of Ginny's relationship problems.  Hermione looked a bit older, and it was a good thing that she aged well.  Lavender's hair had gone from a shiny blond mane, to a sad, dusty bob.  Ginny still has her fiery red hair, but it was now cropped so close to her scalp that she resembled her brother's even more.

It had been five years since Hermione had seen or heard from Draco Malfoy since their encounter at the airport.  She rarely thought about him, but whenever the subject of men and women came up, she found herself drifting to his words.  Hermione was staring off down to the park where there were children with little sailboats and mothers taking in the shade of the trees.  Suddenly, she was snapped out of her reverie by Ginny who was waving her hands in front of her face.  When she was satisfied that Hermione was once again part of the conversation, Ginny continued to talk.

"Well, I went through his pockets in bed."

Lavender looked stunned at Ginny's revelation.  "Gin, why on earth are you going through his pockets?!"

Ginny ignored Lavender and focused her attention on Hermione.  "Do you _know what I found?"_

"What?"  Lavender leaned over to hear.

Ginny sighed and clutched her heart as if it was shattering in pieces.  _Sniff "They just bought a __dining room table!  He and his __wife just went out and spent sixteen hundred __dollars on a dining room table!"_

"Where?" Lavender asked.

Hermione and Ginny shot Lavender a look that said 'SHUT UP!"  

"…_sniff… it doesn't matter _where_ Lav, the point is he's never going to leave her!"_

"Oh," Lavender sat back in her chair and pulled out a compact and began to examine her teeth for any food that might have gotten stuck, "well, we've known about this for two years now Gin.  Why you decided to not curse the woman is beyond me.  Your dad is pretty high up with the Ministry, I'm sure they would let you off with a warning."

"Oh Lav! " Ginny blew her nose into her napkin, "You're right, you're right, I know you're right."

"You know Ginny; you could go out and find someone who is _single_.  When I was I knew lots of nice single men.  There must be someone, Hermione found Harry remember."

Ginny and Lavender both smiled at Hermione who had once again drifted from the conversation.  Lavender was now married to a stockbroker who's mum was a witch, but he didn't have a lick of magic in him.  He was not at all worried about Lavender being one; he was used to seeing magic, and had hopes that their children would be magical.  Hermione was still dating Harry, and everyone thought it was perfect.  Even the tabloids in England that still followed Harry about thought they were destined to walk down the aisle soon.

"Well, Hermione got the last good bloke in all of New York City, why, in the whole world in fact!"  Ginny smiled, but it soon faded when she saw the sad look on Hermione's face.

"Harry and I broke up."

The silence was almost palpable until it was broken by shrieks of "What?" and "When?" and a joint "Why?"

"We broke up on Monday."

"Well," Lavender put her compact back in her purse, "you waited three days to tell us?"

"Does this mean Harry is available?"

Hermione and Lavender shot Ginny a look.  "Oh for Merlin's sakes Gin! Don't you have any feelings about this?  She's obviously upset!"

Hermione shook her head, "I'm not that upset, we've been growing apart for quite a while."

Ginny scooted her chair closer to Hermione and grabbed her hands in her, "But you two were a couple!  You had someone to go places with, and you had a date on all the U.S. national holidays!"

"Oh Ginny, I know what you mean, but I said to myself '_You deserve more than this, you're thirty-one years old….'"_

"And the clock is ticking, tick tock Hermione!"  Ginny shook her head.

"Not really Gin, the clock doesn't really start ticking until you're thirty-six."

Lavender sat back in her chair, mouth agape, "Wow Hermi," Hermione grimaced at the awful nickname Lavender had chosen for her, "you're in such great shape about all of this."

"Well, thanks, I've had a few days to get used to it, and um…well, I guess I feel ok."

"Oh good," Ginny clapped her hands together and pulled out a small slim case, "you're ready."

Ginny pressed a small button on the side of the case and it flipped over and inside out and did all sorts of fancy things before settling down to look like a muggle cell-phone.  Lavender rolled her eyes.  She knew _exactly _what Ginny was doing.  She was pulling out her date-a-fax.  In the case were names and profiles of hundreds of men that Ginny had entered.  It was one magical thing she used on a daily basis, aside from her wand.

"Real nice there Gin," scowled Lavender.  Ginny scowled right back and stuck her tongue out.  "Well, how else do you propose we do this Mrs. I'm-too-fancy-because-I'm-bloody-married?  Look, Hermione, I've got the _perfect guy for you.  I don't find him the least bit attractive, but you might.  You don't have something against cleft chins right?"_

"Ginny, I don't think I'm ready."  Ginny rolled her eyes, "Hermione, you _just_ said you were over him!"

"Drats, Gin, I _am over him, but I'm in a mourning period……well, nonetheless, who is it?"_

"Alex Anderson, aged 32, graduate of Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry," Lavender slapped Ginny's thigh to remind her not to speak so loudly about the wizarding part, "oh, right, well, he is currently an apparition teacher here in NYC with offices based in Greenwich Village, not too far from Chelsea Hermione.  He has never been married, likes long walks in the evenings, but has an awfully big chin."

Hermione looked at Ginny with a bit of disgust, "Gin, you fixed me up with that man six years ago!"

"Oh, well, sorry about that one then," Ginny began to swirl her fingers on the screen of the date-a-fax.  "Alright, here we go, Ken Darmen!"

"Gin," stated Hermione in an exasperated voice, "he's been married for over a year."

"Really?"  Ginny continued to swirl through the names in her little gadget.  Hermione sighed and leaned back on her chair.  '_When did this get so complicated?' she thought.  She was __happy with Harry, well, at least she thought she was, and then one day, they were completely different that what they had thought each other to be._

"Herms!"  Hermione cringed.  She _hated_ all the nicknames that everyone made up for her.  "I got one!"  Ginny shoved the screen of the date-a-fax in her face.

As politely as she could, Hermione took the silver case and placed it on the table.  She looked at her two best friends and the eager and helpful faces they had on.  She knew that they were only looking out for her well-being, but they weren't doing that great of a job.  "Look, there is no point in my going out with someone I might really like _if I met him at the right time, but who right now has no chance of being anything to me but a transitional man."_

Ginny patted Hermione's hand gently, and put the date-a-fax back in her clutch.  "Ok dear, but don't wait too long.  Remember what happened to Colin Creevey that bloke Lav and I knew from Hogwarts?  His wife left him, surely because of that picture obsession he had, and everyone said 'give him time, don't move in too fast.'  Six months later, he was dead."

"What are you saying Gin?"  Lavender and Ginny noted some panic in Hermione's voice.  "Are you saying I should get married to someone right away in case he's about to _die?"_

Lavender looked at her wedding band wistfully, and then at Hermione, "Well, at least you could say you were married."

"Herms, darling, what Lavender and I are trying to say is that the right man for you might be out there _right now, and if you don't grab him someone else will and you'll have spent the rest of your life knowing that someone else is married to _your_ husband."_

Hermione looked at her plate, then at her friends, and did nothing more than stare off at the children playing at the park.


	7. Muggle Football, the Wave, and a booksto...

**Chapter 7:  Muggle Football and a Bookstore**

Draco and his friend Blaise sat in the stands.  Below them, a muggle Football game was in progress.  Draco sipped his beer and ate his hot dog like a good fan of football.  Personally, he never got the point of huge, hulking men ramming into each other for an oddly shaped ball.  But he got up and did the wave like an obedient dog.  His old friend, Blaise, was a big football fan.  He once claimed that it was more fun to watch than quidditch.  After that comment, Draco ignored Blaise for a week.  

He was in the middle of trying to understand what was going down on the field when Blaise slapped the side of his arm.  

"When the hell did this happen?"  Draco looked at Blaise and remembered that they were talking prior to his musings about the worthlessness of football.

"Oh,"  Draco took another sip of beer and promptly got up to do the wave.  "Friday.  Helen comes home from visiting her parents in Diagon Alley, you know they just took over Flourish and Botts, and she said, 'I don't know if I want to be married anymore.'  Like it's the institution, you know, like it's nothing personal," Draco and Blaise got up in time to catch the wave that seemed to be coming around rather frequently, "just something she's been thinking about….in a casual sort of way.  I'm calm, I say 'Why don't we take some time to think about it, I haven't seen you for a week, you've been in London, you know, don't rush into anything."

Blaise let out a burp and Draco grimaced. All around him people were standing up and cheering. The section where he and Blaise were sitting suddenly got on its feet and cheered for whatever team's side they were on.  Draco, trying his hardest to have fun, got up and cheered alongside Blaise who was really whooping and clapping his heart out.  After they had sat back down, Draco continued his story.  "The next day she said she had thought about it and she wants a trial separation.  She just wants to try it, she says, but we can still, get this, _date_."  Blaise snorted and shook his head.  Draco nodded, "I mean, I got married so I can stop dating!  So I don't see where we can still date is any big incentive since the last thing you want to do is date _your wife, who's suppose to love you.  So it occurs to me at that moment, a revelation of sorts you know?"  Blaise nodded again as he finished the last of his beer, "So I say to Helen, 'Don't you love me anymore?' and as a Malfoy, I never would even stoop to ask such a question, I mean, who _doesn't_ love a Malfoy right?"  Another nod came from Blaise, "I mean, people who claim to hate me really love me, I'm sure of it, anyways, you know what she says?"_

Blaise shook his head, "She says, 'I don't know if I've ever loved you.'"

"Ohhh, Draco that was Harsh, coming from that witch of a wife of yours!"  Blaise started laughing at his comment, then stopped immediately when he saw that Draco was not as amused. "Well, that, Malfoy, is a comment you don't bounce right back from."

"Gee, thanks mate, I'll keep that in mind."  Draco scowled and took a big gulp of his beer finishing it off.  He signaled to one of the vendors walking around the stadium for two more beers.  Soon, Draco and Blaise were chatting over new beer.  "Then, get this Blaise, she tells me that one of those uptight lawyers she works with is going to South America and she could sub-let his apartment.  I don't believe it for one moment, and the doorbell rings, and the words 'I can sublet his apartment' are still hanging in the air, you know, like a balloon attached to a mouth…"

Blaise nodded, "Yeah, like a muggle cartoon drawing."

"Right, so I go to the door, and there were moving men there, muggle moving me, which to me was odd because she used magic to move all her crap to my place when she first moved in.  Now I start to get suspicious.  I say, 'Helen, when did you call these movers?', and she doesn't say anything.  So I asked the movers, 'When did this woman book you?', and they're just standing there.  Three huge men, kinda looked like what Crabbe and Goyle's kids would look like now if they were grown, one of them was wearing a muggle shirt that said 'Don't Mess With Mr. Zero.'  So I said again, 'Helen, when did you make these arrangements?' and she says she made them a week ago!  I said 'You've known for a _week and you didn't tell me?' and she says 'I didn't want to ruin your birthday.'"_

They stood up and did the wave as it passed by their section.  Blaise spilled some of his beer on Draco's shoes, but Draco didn't even seem to notice.

"You're saying that Mr. Zero knew that Helen was leaving a week before you did?"

Draco nodded solemnly, "Mr. Zero knew."

"I can't believe this!"  Blaise threw his hands in the air.  

"I haven't even told you the bad part yet."

Blaise looked at Draco like he had sprouted two heads.  "What could be worse than Mr. Zero knowing?"

"It was all a lie."  Blaise had stopped paying attention to the game and focused solely on Draco. "She's in love with someone else, some tax attorney, and a muggle nonetheless.  She moved in with him"

"Whoa, how did you find this all out?"

Draco sighed, his beer was getting warm and that was not proving good for his mood. "I followed her in my dad's old invisibility cloak. I know it was stupid to even bring that thing out on the streets of New York, but I knew she had to be lying so I followed her and stood outside the building where this fancy tax attorney lives."

"Merlin, Draco, that's humiliating.  Are you going to owl Narcissa?  Gads, what is she going to say?  Suppose she'll hex Helen out of this world?"

"Nah, I think I will spare mum the details.  But yeah, it's a small…no, a _huge_ humiliation.  And I knew it, deep in me I knew that even thought I thought we were happy, even if she thought we were happy, I knew it was just an illusion and one day she would kick the bludgers out of me.  I mean, look at my parents and their marriage!"

"Draco, marriages don't break up on account of infidelity, it's just a symptom that something else is wrong."

"Yeah, well Blaise, that _symptom is fucking my wife!"  Draco dropped his cup of beer and walked down the stands.  Blaise watched Draco storm out.  He knew his friend was mad, and any good friend of Draco's knew not to come near him when he was mad.  He would have been hexed and returned to his apartment in a box.  Blaise just sat back, then jumped right back to do the wave and enjoyed the rest of the  game._

~*~

Hermione finally dragged Ginny to a bookstore so she could find something to read and take her mind off Harry. They were browsing through the new books and once again discussing Ginny's affair with the married man.  Ginny was flipping through the pages of a magazine and talking Hermione's ear off.

"So I just happened to see his credit card bill."

Hermione stopped browsing and frowned at Ginny, "What do you mean you just _happened to see it?"_

Ginny blushed to her roots, "Well, he was in the loo…..and it was right there in his briefcase."  Hermione frowned, then sighed and shook her head.  

"Gin, what if he came out and saw you looking through his briefcase!"

Ginny was no longer concerned that her best friend was wagging the 'Disappointed in You!' card in her face.  She went back to her magazine and talked behind it so she wouldn't see Hermione's reactions.  "Well, Herms, you're missing the whole point.  I'm trying to tell you what I found.  He just spent a hundred and twenty dollars on a new night dress for his wife!  I don't think he's ever going to leave her!"  Ginny sniffled a bit behind the magazine.

Hermione was not as sympathetic as Ginny hoped she would be. She just continued to browse and pick up books, "Ginny, no one thinks that he's ever going to leave her."

"Oh Herms!  You're right!  You're right, I know you're right."  Ginny slumped against the side of a book shelf and slid down into a  crumbled heap on the floor.  She looked up at Hermione who was not the least bit concerned that her friend was in near tears on the floor.  Ginny got up and straightened herself out when she could sight of a blond man staring intently at Hermione.  She quickly rushed to Hermione's side and began to giggle.  She whispered in Hermione's ear, "Someone is starring at you in 'Personal Growth.'"

Hermione looked over and smirked.  '_Well well well, Mr. Malfoy is still in the neighborhood.  Merlin, it's been about five years since he's made my blood boil.  Look at him, prowling around personal growth like he has any other interest that striking up some stupid conversation about men and women….'  Hermione  looked over and back to Ginny.  "I know him, you'd like him, and he's married.  And I think you went to school together."_

"Who is he Herms?"

"Draco Malfoy, a political consultant when I last saw him."

"Malfoy?  Gads, he sure has gotten cute since him and my brother Ron used to wrestle each other to near death at Hogwarts."  Ginny gazed at the blond man dreamily for a few moments, then shook thoughts out of her head.  "How do you know he's married?  The resident playboy of Hogwarts got married……it must be the New York smog, gets in the lungs and in your brain…."

"Because the last time I saw him he was getting married."  Hermione continued to pile more books in her shopping basket.

"When did you last see Draco?"  Hermione mused for a bit, "About five, six years ago."

"So, Herms, do you know what I'm thinking?"  Hermione shook her head as she read the back cover of a cookbook for busy women, "He might not be married anymore!"

"Well, he's also an obnoxious prat."

"Oh Herms!"  Hermione winced a bit, tired of hearing the awful nickname Ginny had given her.  Every time Ginny spoke to fast, it sounded like she was calling Hermione 'Worms.'  "This is just like the movies! Remember?  When the lady vanishes and she says that she is going to meet the most obnoxious man in the world….."

"Gin, I believe it was the most contemptible…."

"Whatever, and they fall in love….." Ginny gazed dreamily out the window.

"Ginny, he probably doesn't even remember me."

Just them a hand reached over and tapped Hermione on her shoulder.  Ginny almost squealed out loud. 

"Hermione Granger." The low drawl was unmistakable.  Hermione turned around.  "Hello Draco."

"I thought it was you."  Ginny almost swooned.  He still had the sexy drawl and he was talking to her best friend who needed a man!

"Um, yes, well, this is Ginny, Ginny Weasley, you may remember her…."  But when Hermione looked around, Ginny was halfway down the steps that lead to the main floor, and the exit.  She was waving and giving Hermione a thumbs–up before she disappeared in the crowd on the steps.

"Well, that _was Ginny."_

"So, Hermione, how are you?"

"I'm fine, fantastic."

"How's Harry?"

A dark look came over Hermione's face.  She couldn't be upset at him for asking, he wouldn't know.  "Fine.  I hear he's just fine."

Draco caught on quickly, "You're not with Harry anymore?"

"Well, we just broke up."  Hermione immediately picked a book out of her shopping basket and examined the back cover with feigned interest.

"Oh, well, I'm sorry to hear that, it's too bad."

"Yes, well, you know, "Hermione placed the book back in the basket, "yah.  So, what about you?"

"I'm fine, same old same old."

"How's married life?"  Hermione saw a flicker of anger pass over Draco's face. He didn't meet Hermione's gaze when he answered.  "Not so good….I….I'm getting a divorce."

"Oh Draco, Oh I'm so sorry!"

"Yeah well, what are you going to do.  Say, why don't you pay for those," he said, pointing to her overflowing basket, "and have some coffee with me.  We live in the same city, it's  a shame we never get together.  We can catch up!"

Hermione smiled, '_well, he just got a divorce, I can be nice today'.  She nodded and paid for her books and followed Draco across the street to a small empty café._


	8. Cold, Hard Mexican Ceramic Tile

**Chapter 8:  Cold, Hard Mexican Ceramic Tile**

As soon as they were seated, they ordered steaming cups of coffee.  Draco brought the cups over and handed Hermione her cup.  Hermione took a sip and they sat in silence for a bit.

"So tell me what happened to you and Harry?  You were the Daily Prophet's couple of the year for what, five years?" 

Hermione gave a small smile as she took another sip.  She placed both hands around her cup, enjoying the warm feeling that was coursing through her hands to her arms.  She looked up and saw Draco gazing at her intently, waiting for her answer.

"Well," said Hermione, taking a deep breath, "I hope you're ready for this, it's a long haul type of story."  Draco grinned and nodded for her to begin.  "Alright, well, when Harry and I started seeing each other we wanted _exactly_ the same thing.  We wanted to live together but we didn't want to get married because every time anyone we knew got married it ruined their relationship, they practically _never had sex _again_!"  Draco smirked at the look on Hermione's face, exasperated and bewildered at the same time. "  It's true!"  Hermione saw Draco smirking at her as if she was making an assumption, "It's one of those secrets that no one ever tells you.  I would sit around with my girlfriends who have kids….actually, this one girlfriend of mine, Alicia, I think you might remember her from Hogwarts, her maiden name then was Spinnet, but I was visiting her in London, and she and her husband Lee never do it anymore.  She didn't even __complain about it now that I think about it.  She just said it very matter-of-factly.  She said that they were always just up all night with the new lot of kids they've got, triplets if you can even begin to fathom what that's like, they were exhausted all the time from working at the ministry and Lee has this Quidditch Shop that he manages on the weekends…." Hermione trailed off.  Draco was tapping his fingers impatiently on the table and she realized that she was going off on a tangent again on her story.  "Sorry," she said lamely, "anyways, Harry and I used to talk about it and we'd say how lucky we were that we had this wonderful relationship, that we could have sex on the kitchen floor and not worry about kids walking in, that we could fly off to Rome to a moment's notice.  And then one day I had apparated to London again to help Alicia out and I took one of her little girls for the afternoon, the older one, not the triplets, they are another species I swear, but I took the older one, Madeleine because I had promised her that we would go to Notting Hill and shop around a bit at outdoor market that they have there on the weekends, so we were in  cab and playing that game, 'Eye Spy,' you know, 'I spy a mailbox, a lamppost,' whatever, and she looked out the window and she saw this man and woman with these two little kids and the man had one of the little tots on his shoulders and Maddy said 'I spy a family.'"  _

Hermione stopped to catch her breath.  Draco noticed she was looking a bit teary-eyed.  He had been tempted to interrupt her extremely overdrawn explanation of why she and Harry had split-up, but for some reason, he let her drone on.  Hermione finally composed herself, took a sip of her now cold coffee, and finished her story, "I started crying you know.  I just started _crying.  I apparated home later that evening, which by the way, crossing international time zones is hell on one's nerves, and I said to Harry, "The thing is Harry, we never fly off to Rome on a moment's notice……"_

Draco gave Hermione a small smile, "And  the kitchen floor?"

"Not once," a small laugh escaped from her lips, "it's extremely cold, hard Mexican ceramic tile. Heating and cushioning charms only last so long."

"Oh…" was all Draco managed to get out before Hermione continued to talk.  

"Anyways, Harry and I talked about it for a long time and I said 'This is what I want,' and he said 'Well, it's not what I want,' and I said 'Well, I guess it's over,' and he left.  And the thing is…I feel fine.  I am over him, I mean I really _am over him.  And that was it for him.  That was the most that he could give.  And every time I think about it I am more and more convinced that I did the right thing."  Hermione sighed into her coffee that was ice cold, but she took a sip nonetheless._

"Boy, you sound really healthy."  Draco sipped the last of his coffee.  "Yah," said  Hermione, a small look of sadness crossing her face. '_Quite healthy in fact, so bloody healthy that I am now single, although over my ex, biological clock ticking, and i'm having coffee with the man-who-lived-to-irritate-me.....'_

"Hey, would you fancy a walk?" Draco's voice broke into Hermione's thoughts.  She glanced over at Draco, he continued to talk, "I don't have much to do the rest of the afternoon."  Hermione thought about it for a moment, then nodded.

~*~

 Draco was helping Hermione into her coat a short while later.  The leaves had started to fall and it was one of the best autumn days New York had seen in a while.  A nice cool breeze, cool enough for a coat, but warm enough to leave the scarf and mittens and hat at home.  Hermione nodded and they left the café and walked down the block towards central park.  They walked in silence through the park, past a few sculptures and the giant clock.  A few people were out and about. Some we strolling like they were at that moment, a few were in trainers and hoodies, running briskly through the park.  Hermione was the first to break the silence.

"At least I got  the apartment."

Draco laughed, "Yeah, that's what everybody says to me too.  I was able to at least keep that monstrosity that my mother got for me ten years back.  But really, what's so bloody hard about finding an apartment?  What you do is, you read the obituaries in the _Post _or in the _Times._"

He looked over and was not surprised to see a shocked look on Hermione's face.  He smirked and continued, "It's true you know, you find out who died, then you go to the building and then you tip the doorman.  What they can do to make it easier in my opinion is to combine the obituaries and the real estate section."  Draco chuckled at the thought, "Then you'd have 'Mr. Klein died today leaving a wife, two children, and spacious three bedroom apartment with wood burning fireplace'."

Despite herself, Hermione laughed along wit Draco at what Draco had just said.

The continued to walk through he park.  They passed a playground and Draco caught the wistful look on Hermione's face as she glanced over at the children playing and the mother's wiping faces streaked with tears or dirt.  They soon found themselves on the path by themselves.

"You know," said Draco, " the first time I met you I really didn't like you all that much."

"Well, the feeling was mutual  Malfoy."

Both laughed and continued to walk.   "You liked me, you were just too uptight back then to realize it.  You're much softer now."  Hermione laughed and punched Draco in the arm.  She never thought she would enjoy taking a walk with Draco Malfoy.  

"You know I hate those kinds of remarks.  It sounds like a compliment, but really it's an insult."

"I take it back, you're still hard as nails."

Hermione began to kick at the acorns that had fallen on the path, "I just didn't want to sleep with you and you had to write it off as a character flaw instead of dealing with the possibility that it _might_ have something to do with you!"

"Well, Granger, what's the statute of limitation on apologies?"

"I believe its ten years," said Hermione with a grin.  Draco smiled back, "Great!  I can just get it under the wire."

Hermione stopped walking and looked at Draco.  "Would you like to have dinner with me sometime?"

Draco crossed his arms over his chest and cocked his head to one side, a bemused look on his face.  Hermione shook her head and rolled her eyes at his expression.  He laughed, "Are we becoming friends now?"

"Well…." Hermione gave Draco a big smile, "Yeah."

"Great!"  Draco started to walk again and Hermione hurried to catch up to his long strides.  He looked at her and smiled back, "A woman friend….you know, you may be the first attractive woman I have not wanted to sleep with in my entire life."  Draco extended his arm to Hermione.

"That's wonderful Draco," said Hermione as she took his arm and they walked out of the park.


	9. A Terrible Date

**Chapter 9:  A terrible date**

****

Draco and Hermione's friendship developed a bit slowly, but surely.  After that walk in the park, they went out to dinner and had a grand time.  They both went about their own lives, dating people here and there and comparing notes.  They still had their issues as far as what they thought about men and women, but any stranger on the street who saw them arguing (which was quite often) would think it was just a lover's spat.  But they weren't lovers, they were friends, which they were both glad to point out to each and every person they met. However, it wasn't unusual to see them walking arm in arm from the grocer's to Hermione's apartment, or from some fancy shop on fifth avenue to Draco's monstrosity of an apartment.

It was Friday evening and Draco was lying in bed playing with a bobble head of a dragon that Hermione had found in Tribeca earlier that week.  On the TV in his room, _Casablanca was playing.  It had been running three or four times that day.  Draco stared at Ingrid Bergman on the screen and thought of Hermione.  He glanced at the clock on his bedside table.  It read 12:47 A.M.  It was Saturday morning already.  Draco had just returned a short while back from an extremely horrid date with a model that lived a few buildings down from his.  He lay back and tuned out Humphrey Bogart's voice and replayed the conversation they had at dinner that evening…._

_Draco sat across from one of the most beautiful women he had ever had a chance to meet and date for that matter.  Her ebony hair was flowing down her back like a sheet of black silk.  He was wondering if her hair was as soft as silk.  He had stopped listening to her a few minutes after they had sat down to eat at some ridiculous place called *R.A.W. downtown.  It was some new fangled idea some idiot had thought up where the food was cooked at no more than a hundred and eighteen degrees.  He was dying to eat a hamburger.  The woman in front of him was obviously talking.  He could see her sumptuous red lips moving, occasionally a flash of pink tongue darting out to lick them.  He was thinking of how much he wanted to kiss her…….he hadn't really done much snogging (or shagging for that matter) in almost a week…..he was feeling vulnerable…..lustful….. "Draco…."   Draco?  Huh?_

_"Draco? Are you listening to me?!"  A high pitched screechy sound interrupted his thoughts.  He looked up and saw that Bridgette was staring at him with a glare.  Her amber eyes flashed, and he gave her a weak smile as he swirled his wine in his glass. _

_"Yes dear, continue with what you were saying."  Draco drawled._

_"Oh, well, like I was saying, I bought this fantastic purse over at PRADA and can you believe this?  They had NO IDEA who I was!  I mean, have I not graced the cover of **Vogue**, what, like 3 times? I mean, that was really awful of them not to say anything right?  Right Drakey?"_

_Draco cringed.  Every time, to no end, the woman he was dating, even his ex-wife Helen, had called him 'Drakey.'  Hermione was the only one who never called him that….she thought it sounded childish and common….which it did…..Hermione…._

_"DRAKEY?  Hello?  Good, you're listening to me again, so I was at PRADA and the woman had the _nerve_ to ask me if I wanted a larger size in this dress," said Bridgette, pointing to the mustard yellow piece of fabric that Draco supposed passed for a dress.  _

_"Darling," said Draco in his drawling voice, "I think you look lovely.  Why don't we order?  I'm a bit famished." Draco signaled for the waiter and ordered for the both of them.  He was sure whatever he ordered, some zucchini dish, would taste like bobbutubber pus, but he didn't care anymore.  He wanted to go home and eat a big, juicy, well-done burger with a large pint of butterbeer.  He was no longer interested in Bridgette's lips which were still moving, most likely ranting about some fashion thing or another that he could care less about._

_Dinner was a quiet affair, at least on Draco's end.  He didn't feel like wasting words on the woman in front of him.  Plus, half the time she was busy waving to friends or running up to the bar where a photographer that she _had to meet_ was standing._

_Bridgette and Draco to a cab afterwards to a party uptown that a friend of Draco's was throwing.  The dark, smoky interior of the apartment where the party was being held was the last place Draco wanted to be. Bridgette was already roaring drunk, seeing as she spent half of dinner running to the bar and having a drink with so and so, and what's-her-face.  She was literally clawing at Draco's shirt, trying desperately to unbutton it while he waited in line for the loo.  Normally, Draco wouldn't have minded one bit, but he was not interested at all and he had no idea why.  He went to the bathroom, and when he emerged, Bridgette had latched her lips onto another woman's lips and they were busy groping each other in the dark through their fancy dresses to notice Draco walk by.  He said his thanks to the host and left the building….._

 And on his bed was where Draco was ending his night.  Casablanca on the TV and a bobble-head toy to poke at.  Well, he certainly had nothing else to poke since his date had run off to play slap and tickle with some woman at the party.  He looked at the clock again, 1:29 AM, it read.  He reached over the clock and picked up the phone.  Out of all things muggle, the telephone was something that Draco found to be quite fascinating. It was definitely faster than an owl.  He didn't even look at the keypad as his fingers dialed the familiar number.  His gaze was fixed on the movie he was watching.

"Hello?"  The familiar voice brought a smile to Draco's face.

**_~*~_**

****

Hermione's Friday evening was disastrous to say the least.  It was 10:30 p.m. and she was sitting at the opera at the opening night of _La Traviata next to a man who would be more at home at a say, FAO Schwartz?  She had no idea how she even got stuck next to the man who was her date.  Oh, right, Ginny._

"_Herms!  Trust me!  Dylan is absolutely fantastic!  He is a bit young, but he is so well-traveled!  His mum is from __Australia__ and his dad is from __Connecticut__ and very__ rich!  He's well mannered and he went to all the best schools, and Herms...he's so bloody good looking…."_

Hermione cringed, and shook the conversation she had had with Ginny earlier that week concerning Dylan out of her head. Dylan at the moment was playing a video game on his cell phone, completely ignoring her and the show.  Hermione looked at her watch and at the program. '_It's almost over….'_  And sure enough, at around 11 p.m., the show was over and relief washed over Hermione.  She had been extremely embarrassed that her date had played _video games_ throughout the whole opera.  Once they were outside Dylan finally spoke.

"You know, that thing you dragged me to wasn't that bad.  Did you see that woman with the gigantic tits onstage?  Are you sure it wasn't some kind of stripper deal? Those things were heaving!"  Hermione looked shocked.  He was being _serious!  "Anyways, what do you say we grab something to eat?  You look too good not to show off."_

Hermione managed a smile at the compliment.  '_Maybe the night isn't wasted after all,'_ she thought.

Wrong.

When he said grab something to eat she thought a fancy café, or a nice restaurant with good wine. No, she soon found herself in a loud and smoky club with music pumping far too loud for Hermione's comfort.  She walked in and was taken aback at the scene that unfolded before her.  Hundreds of people crammed into a giant warehouse in the meat-packing district of New York wearing absolutely horrid clothes that were barely held together, and from what she could see in the dim lighting, they weren't dancing, they were _gyrating, for lack of a better word, to the loud bass-infused beat.  Dylan grabbed her hand and led her up a few stairs to a red door.  A rather large man sat on a stool next to the door on the landing.  He nodded at Dylan and Hermione as they walked through the door.  Inside the music was the same, but lower in volume, which bettered Hermione's mood, but only by a little.  The décor of the room was red:  red velvet couches, red walls, various shades of red pillows and hanging Chinese lanterns.  A small bar was set up in the corner, and a small table was set up next to the bar with a small buffet set up.  Hermione was starving and began to walk towards the buffet when someone grabbed onto her arm.  She soon found herself swaying to the music looking at Dylan.  He leaned in for a kiss and Hermione let him.  She had never acted like this before, she never, ever kissed on the first date, but something about all the red, and perhaps the music was intoxicating.  They headed towards the bar and began to drink.  Hermione, after two drinks was feeling a bit lightheaded, she was never a big drinker.  She then noticed that the room was practically empty.  There were only four other couples in there room, many were completely engrossed in each other to notice anyone else around them.  Before she knew it, Dylan was kissing her again and leading her into a part of the room that was curtained-off.  She found herself on top of several huge pillows and Dylan was on top of her.  It took her a moment to realize what was happening before she pushed him off and straightened out her dress.  She looked at Dylan and didn't even say a word as she ran out of the curtained area, out the red door, out of the warehouse, and into a cab back to Chelsea and the comfort of her home._

It was a few minutes past one when she walked into her apartment.  She closed the door and locked it, then leaned against it breathing heavily.  She felt so _stupid!  She had just been out with a man, no, _a boy_, who was at least five years younger, brought to a club, and practically let herself be seduced by red décor and fancy drinks, oh, and soft squashy pillows.  She couldn't date Dylan.  He wasn't her type.  He played _video games_ during _La Traviata_!  She took off her shoes and unzipped her dress.  Hermione slipped on a night dress and climbed into bed without bothering to take off her make-up.  She grabbed her remote and turned on her TV.  Hermione looked at the channel guide and saw that _Casablanca_ was on channel 11.  She flipped to the channel and was about to bury herself in the comfort of her bed when suddenly, the phone on her bedside table rang. Hermione scowled and leaned over to pick up the phone._

"Hello?"

*the restaurant _RAW_ that I mentioned was from the episode of _Sex and the City_ that aired this past Sunday.  Episode 2 of the 5th season.  Very funny.  


	10. Casablanca Revisited

**Chapter 10: ****Casablanca**** Revisited**

"Hello?"  Hermione answered irritably.

"We're you sleeping?"  Draco's lazy drawl said on the other line.

"No, I was watching _Casablanca_."  Hermione smiled a bit at hearing his voice.  He was a light at the end of a very dark tunnel that was her Friday night.

Draco propped himself up on some pillows and turned the volume up on his television.  "Would you look at that, I was watching, or rather, I am watching _Casablanca as well."_

Hermione re-positioned herself on the bed and pulled the covers up to her chin.  She cradled the phone on her shoulder as she adjusted the volume on her TV.

Draco and Hermione watched the movie for a few minutes, not minding the silence on the other line.  Draco was the first to begin speaking again.  "So you're telling me that you will be happier with Victor Laszlo than Humphrey Bogart?"

Hermione sat up a bit, "When did I say that?"

"When we drove to New York."  Hermione thought about it for a bit, and a few memories flooded back to her, but she didn't seem convinced.  Her silence made Draco wish he was with her just so he could see her face scrunch up when she was thinking too hard, which was always.

"I never said that, I would _never_ have said that!"

Draco sighed, "Alright, fine, have it you way.  You weren't sleeping were you?"  He glanced at the clock; it was almost two in the morning.

"Why do you ask?"  Hermione looked at her bedside clock.  '_Merlin!  I didn't realize it was so late!'  She thought as the clock read 2:01 AM._

Another heaving sigh came from Draco on the other line, "Because I haven't been sleeping lately.  I really miss Helen.  I mean, it's only been a few months, but I do miss having someone to come home to."  He heard Hermione giggle on the other line, "Don't laugh!  It's true!  I have never really missed anything before, except my hair that was botched up by a terrible barber in my sixth year, but never a person.  Maybe I'm coming down with something?"  Draco paused, waiting for a comment from the other line, but heard nothing but subtle breathing, so he continued, "Last night I was up until four in the morning watching some American show called "Leave It to Beaver" in _Spanish! 'Hola! Senor Beaver! La la la.' I'm not well."_

Hermione laughed just listening to Draco attempt to reenact the Spanish dialogue from "Leave It to Beaver."  She thought for a moment at something to say that would make him feel, well, less un-well.

"Well, Draco, last night I went to bed at seven-thirty. And I haven't done that since I was in primary school, mind you."

Draco chuckled, "Well, that's the good thing about depression; you really get your rest!"

Hermione scowled at the receiver, "I am not depressed, thank you."

"Ok, fine," said Draco.  He could feel her scowling at him, "Do you still sleep on the same side of the bed? You know the side you slept on when you were still with Harry?"

A small tinge of sadness filled Hermione for a moment, "I did for a while, but now I'm pretty much using the whole bed."

"That's bloody great Hermione.  Me, I feel odd when just my leg wanders over the other side. Merlin, I miss her."

"You know what Draco, I don't miss Harry at all, I really don't."

"Not even a little bit?"

Hermione got out of bed and padded out to the kitchen to grab a glass of water.  She leaned against the counter and took a sip.  "You know what I miss?"

"What's that?"

"The _idea_ of him.  The whole having someone.  I miss having someone, but I don't miss Harry."

Hermione walked back to her room and got back in bed.  Draco was silent on the other line for a bit.  

"Maybe you're on to something," he said.

"And what's that Malfoy?"

"Maybe I only miss the _idea_ of Helen."  Draco leaned back on his pillows, eyes never wandering from the movie that was still playing.  "No, I miss the whole Helen," he said with a sigh."

"Hey, Draco, it's the last scene."  Both of them sat up and watched.

The characters of Rick and Renault are seen walking off saying the famous line, "_Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship."_

Draco gave a low whistle as the credits came on, "Ooo…Ingrid Bergman, now, that's one low-maintenance woman."

"Low maintenance?"  Hermione asked as she switched the TV off and snuggled into her covers.

"There are two kinds of women," explained Draco, "High maintenance and low maintenance."

"And Ingrid Bergman is low maintenance?"

"Definitely."

Hermione thought about it for a moment, "Well, what kind of woman am I?"

"Oh," said Draco, thinking of how to answer the question.  He was glad at that moment that they were not in the same room. "Well, you're the _worst_ type of woman.  You're high maintenance but you _think_ that you're low maintenance."

"Humph, well, I don't see that at all!"

"You don't see that?" said Draco incredulously.  In a mocking voice meant to resemble Hermione's, he went on, "Waiter! I'll begin with a house salad, but I don't want the _regular dressing, I'll have the balsamic vinegar and oil, but _on the side_.  And then the salmon with the mustard sauce, but I want the mustard sauce _ON THE SIDE_." Draco paused for a moment, " 'On the side' is a very big thing for you Hermione."_

Hermione was in shock. She didn't speak for a few moments, and Draco knew he had set off a bomb in her, but _she did ask_, and, being the honest man that he was, he told her.  Finally, he heard Hermione clear her throat. "Well, that happens to be the way that I like it."

"I know….high maintenance."  Draco decided to change the subject quickly, " You know that last line in _Casablanca? I think it's the best line of a movie _ever_."_

A small "mmhmm," was all that was heard on Hermione's side.

"I'm definitely coming down with something," said Draco as he squirmed and twisted around on his side of the bed.  "Perhaps it's a twenty-four hour tumor that's going around.  You suppose I should owl a healer?"

"Don't be stupid," said Hermione, "You don't have a tumor and you don't need a healer."

"Well," snapped Draco, "How do _you_ know?  You might be a bloody genius, but you aren't a healer!"

"If you're so damn worried, then go ahead an owl a healer!"  Hermione shouted.

Draco, who had calmed down a bit, was on the verge of a laughing fit.  It was always a good time when Hermione was mad.  "No," he drawled lazily, "they'll just tell me that it's nothing."

"Will you be able to sleep tonight?"  Hermione looked at her clock.  It read 2:57 A.M.  

"If not, I think I'll be ok," replied Draco.

"But what will you do with all that time?"

Draco thought about it for a bit, "I think I'll stay up and moan.  Perhaps I should practice? 'ooohhhh….uuuuhhhhhh…mmmmm…ooohhhhh…ahhhhhhhh……"

Hermione rolled her eyes, "Goodnight Draco."

Draco stopped moaning and smiled, "Good night." 


	11. Pepper In My Paprikash

**Chapter 11: "Pepper on my Paprikash"**

The months went by and Draco and Hermione found themselves in each other's company more often than not.  One Saturday afternoon, they were finishing up their lunch, which consisted of hot dogs bought off a vendor.  They were walking up Fifth Avenue towards the International Center of Photography on 94th street.

"So what have you been doing Ms. Fancy-Pants?"  Draco chuckled as he took a bite of his hot dog.  Hermione just scowled.  She had recently, in the last two months, received an offer (and she gladly accepted) to be the editor of a new magazine called _Bella!_, a magazine for women in the states who were witches living as muggles.  It was going to be a big hit.  Until this opportunity, Hermione was only offered writer's positions at _Witch Weekly_ and _the Daily Prophet._  She was very excited about the offer and the money she was receiving.  She had dragged Draco out to SAKS when she received and accepted the offer, and just last week she made him apparate to London to shop at Harrods to "update" her wardrobe.  She was dressed very smartly these days.  

"Well," said Hermione with a hint of giddiness in her voice, "I have just purchased a fantastic piece of art at that little gallery you hate in SoHo called 'Mystic Meadow.'  I am almost convinced that a witch or wizard painted it in muggle style; the accuracy of the centaurs' features is far too coincidental."

"Leave it to Genius Granger to overanalyze a painting based on the accuracy of the magical creature's triceps and torso length."  Hermione scowled again.  Lately, Draco had taken to calling her the most unfortunate nicknames, such as 'Genius Granger' which was said with obvious sarcasm, and her most hated one yet, 'On-the-side.'  

Hermione finished her hotdog and dropped her waste in a trash bin on the sidewalk.  Draco casually dropped his on the ground and kicked it away, winning him another sideways glance and scowl from Hermione.  "And yourself Draco?  Slaving away in your cushy job and dating airhead models with lesbian tendencies I suppose?"

"Now, play nice Granger, you know that was only that one time that a woman preferred a woman to me.  Actually, I was in Chicago two days back for most of the morning working on getting funds for the next senatorial election.  _You _ were too 'busy' to ring me that day.  Oh, and I did go back out with Allanna last night.  It was lovely.  She really _is more intelligent that she seems," Draco said.  Hermione shot him a look, and Draco wouldn't meet her gaze.  They both knew that Draco had turned into a model-a-holic, whether it was a supermodel or a rising starlet, he was drawn to them for some reason.  Hermione and Draco continued to walk, the spring air blowing bits of paper on the ground around their ankles.  They both strolled in silence, thinking about Draco's last comment on Allanna.  Hermione knew that Draco was far to intelligent to waste his conversation on women, no, _girls_, seeing as some of them were barely in their twenties, who, for the most part, were concerned only with near-starvation and sample sales.  There were a few that Draco dated who were absolutely charming and intelligent, but Draco always found something bad about them, such as the size of their chin, or for one girl that Hermione had really liked,his excuse was that he thought she had too many dimples  when she smiled._

"So, anyways," said Draco as they crossed 85th street, "I had my dream again."  Hermione gave him a puzzled look, "The one where I'm making love and the Olympic judges are watching?"  

"Oh, yes, the Olympic Sex dreams, well, go on."

"Yes, well, so there I am, I've nailed the compulsories, so this is it, the finals.  I got a nine point eight from the Canadian, a perfect ten from the American judge, and my mother, who was disguised as an East German judge gave me a five point six.  I think it was my dismount that discouraged her from rating me higher."

"Ugh, only _you would have a dream about a sex competition with your mum as the judge and her not rating you high enough.  Have you ever thought about seeing a psych-wizard or witch?  Perhaps there is something to that dream- - such as your constant battle to be accepted in your mother's eyes perhaps?"_

Draco chuckled and shook his head, "Whatever you say Dr. Granger.  Don't you ever have a weird re-occurring dream?"

"Well," said Hermione, "there is this one that I have had since I was about twelve."

This brought out a loud guffaw from, "'Ickle Hermione was having nasty, _dirty dreams when she was twelve," chided Draco._

"Shut up!  Anyways, oh, this is very embarrassing," said Hermione, who started to blush to the roots of her hair.  Draco took her arm as they crossed over 86th street and continued on towards the museum.  Draco didn't let go of her arm, and Hermione either didn't notice, or didn't mind.

"So tell me," said Draco.

"Oh, alright, well, there's this guy- "

"What does he look like?"

"Oh, well, I don't know," said Hermione, "He's just, well, a faceless bloke I suppose. No, not a bloke, mind you, not some regular man off the streets, he's a gentleman."

"Alright, we've got a faceless guy.  So far my Olympic Sex-a-thon is sounding less and less sordid…."

"Then he rips off my clothes…."

"You were having this dream when you were _twelve_?"  Draco shook his head, trying to imagine a twelve year old Hermione trying to cope with the fact that a man with no face had just ripped her prissy white knickers off.  He laughed silently and continued to listen.

"And, well, that's about it."  Hermione suddenly jerked back; Draco, who was still holding her arm had pulled her to a stop.  He was staring at her in disbelief.

"That's it?  Your faceless guy rips off your clothes and that's the sex fantasy you've been having since you were twelve?"  Draco shook his head once more and pulled her along as they continued walking to the museum.  He was tired and achy from all the walking.  He had insisted on taking a cab, but _noooooooo, faceless-sex-rip-my-clothes Granger had wanted to walk. _

Hermione, feeling embarrassed and tired, snapped back at him, "Well, sometimes I vary it a bit!"

"Well, which part? How he rips your clothes?  Which article he rips first?"

"No, I vary what I'm wearing."

Silence passed between the two friends.  The only sounds that surrounded them were those of cabs honking , people yelling, car alarms going off, and an occasional dog barking whenever they passed one on the street.  It was a few moments before Hermione said anything.

"What? What did I say now?"

"Nothing, nothing at all."  Draco looked up and realized that they were in front of the museum.  He held the door open for Hermione and they both entered a hall with a ceiling as high as the one in the great hall at Hogwarts.  Draco sneezed and his sneeze echoed through the tall ceilings and rafters.  Draco looked around and saw several photographs lit by lights above them.  But they weren't very interesting, and he was no longer interested in pretending to enjoy abstract photography.  And he felt the need to lighten things up after making fun of Hermione's sex dreams.

He pinched his nose and in a high-pitched voice said, "I have decided that for the rest of the day I am going to talk like this."

"Like what, a man with a sever sinus infection?"  Hermione rolled her eyes and walked towards a photograph.  She turned around to face Draco, pinching her nose as well, "Like this?"  Her voice was high pitched and nasally.

Draco grinned, "Repeat after me. Pepper."  With his nose pinched, it sounded more like "Peypah."

Hermione smiled and decided to play along, "Peypah!"

Draco literally screamed, "PEYPAH!"  Hermione giggled, yelling "PEYPAH!" at the top of her lungs.

"Waitah, der ish too mush peypah on mah paprikash!"  Draco looked at Hermione, encouraging her to follow suit.

"Waitah, der ish doo mush peypah…."

"On mah paprikash…"

Hermione giggled again, "On mah paprikash."

They both fell into a fit of giggles at hearing how silly they sounded, and listening to the echoes of their laughter drifting in the great hall of the museum.  After they had calmed down a bit, they both sat down on a marble bench near the entrance, their backs to each other.

"Hey Granger?"

"Yes?"

"Would you like to go to a movie with me tonight?"

Pinching her nose, Hermione began to repeat what Draco had said thinking they were still playing their little game.  Draco got up and walked to the other side to face Hermione.

"No," he said shaking his head, "Not to repeat, please, to answer. Would you like to go to the movies with me tonight?"

Hermione just stared at him for a moment.  Her eyes flickered with a bit of emotion that Draco could not quite read, "Oh, oh, well, I'd love to Draco, but I…I can't."

Draco got up and pulled Hermione up with him. They started walking towards the exit.  "What? Do you have a hot date tonight?"

Hermione stepped back out into the sunlight, suddenly relieved to be outside and amongst the New York crowd.  She merely nodded.

"Really?"  Draco and Hermione started walking back down Fifth Avenue towards Draco's building.

"Yeah, well, I was going to tell you all about it, but I..I don't know, I just felt strange…well, I felt strange about it."

Draco stopped walking and looked at Hermione.  She saw a little bit of hurt flash across his eyes, but she dismissed the thought. "Why?" asked Draco. "Of all the people to feel strange around, I would think that I wouldn't be that person."

"Well," Hermione felt extremely uncomfortable under Draco's gaze.  She began to bite her lip, a nervous habit of hers when she was feeling particularly vulnerable. "Well, because we're spending so much time together."  She began to walk again, Draco catching up to her in a few strides.

"Oh, well, I think it's great that you have a date," he said, almost too enthusiastically for his taste.

"You do?"

"Yeah," said Draco.  Hermione noted a hint of hesitation when he answered or responded to her.

"Are you going to wear that suit," said Draco, looking Hermione up and down in her pale blue pantsuit, white silk shirt, and a string of pearls on her neck.  Personally, he thought she looked fantastic, but something in him stopped him from saying it out loud.

"I really…um….I don't know, why?  I don't look completely unfortunate do I?"  Hermione laughed nervously, waiting to see what Draco would say.

"I think you should wear skirts more often.  I think you look really good in skirts."  Draco mentally slapped himself for that comment.  '_Skirts?  I think you look really good in skirts? Gads!  I sounded like a total git!'  He looked over at Hermione, who was once again blushing, but a small smile played on her lips._

"I do?"  Draco nodded.  He decided it was time to change the subject……and fast.  "You know I have a theory that Hieroglyphics are really an ancient comic strip about a character named 'Sphinxie.'"  He waited for a laugh from Hermione, but was met with an uncomfortable silence.

"Draco, perhaps you should call Allanna and go and have a nice night at the cinema with her tonight."

"Oh, I don't feel like Allana tonight."

Hermione playfully slapped his arm, "She's not a restaurant you decide you don't want to eat at."  Draco just smiled as he hailed  a cab.  He was tired of walking.


	12. You Made A Girl 'Meow'

**Chapter 12: You Made a Girl 'Meow'?**

****

The next day, Hermione and Draco were lugging a huge Persian rug up to Hermione's apartment.  They made it up the front steps and into her place with only two stops.  Not to say that Draco was pleased about this.  He was sweating.  It was irritating him beyond belief, but he had promised to help Hermione out.  They made it in and promptly fell to the floor.  Hermione rolled over and got up, walked to the kitchen and grabbed two bottles of water from the fridge.

She tossed one over to Draco and they both propped up against the rolled up rug and took long sips of the cold water before either one spoke.

"Last night was the most uncomfortable night of my life.  Allanna was dreadful company.  And I have _you to thank for making me call her and spend the evening with her."  Draco drank his water and wiped the sweat from his brow._

"It couldn't have been that bad, you baby.  I remember plenty of bad dates that always turned out much better than I thought they would!"  Hermione got up and began to circle her living room, mentally planning where to put the rug.

Draco got up and followed her around.  "How do you know it won't get worse?  I mean, this was horrid!  It started out fine, I mean, she's a very nice person, and we're sitting and we're talking at this Ethiopian restaurant that she wanted to go to.  And I was making jokes, you know, like 'Hey!  I didn't know they had food in Ethiopia?  This will be a quick meal.  Waiter!  I'll have two empty plates please!' "

Hermione laughed while she had been taking a sip of water.  She managed to spit out some water and have it dribble down her chin.  Draco thought the sight was wonderful.  She looked embarrassed and happy at the same time.  They both made it to the huge, overstuffed pillows that Hermione had all over the living room.  They sat down Indian style facing each other, and Draco continued his story.

"See!  You dribble water down your chin you're laughing so hard!  Do you know what I got out of Allanna?  Nothing!  Not even a smile.  So I decided to down shift to small talk, which you know I am just plain awful at, so I asked her some other questions about herself like where she went to school and she said 'Michigan State.' And then this awful wave of realization just washed over me."  Draco made a gesture of a wave and proceeded to fall and roll around on the ground.  Hermione watched his display and didn't know whether to laugh out loud or call a healer.  She decided to just watch and observe.  After his 'demonstration,' Draco got back up on his pillow.  "I was suddenly reminded to Helen.  All of a sudden I'm in the middle of this mess of an anxiety attack, my heart beating like a wild man and I start sweating!"

Hermione scrunched up her nose in confusion, "Helen attended Michigan State University?"

Draco shook his head and pulled out his wand.  He summoned another bottle of water, a bag of potato chips and some chocolate frogs Hermione hid in her cupboards.  "No, she went to another muggle university, Northwestern, but according to the muggle magazines, they are both what are considered 'Big Ten' schools.  I'm guessing that's a good thing?"  Hermione just shrugged, waiting to hear the rest of the story. "Well, anyways, that's how I made the connection, the big ten school deal, and I got so upset I literally apparated out of the place," said Draco who noticed the shocked look on Hermione's face.  She knew Allanna was a muggle and she was always chastising Draco to be more cautious about magic.  "No, I _didn't apparate, so wipe that scolding look off your face.  I just ran out of there really fast.  How was your date?"_

"Equally dreadful."

"Do I get details?"  Draco lay down on the ground.  Hermione followed suit and lay down so that the tops of their heads were touching,  

"Nope.  But trust me; I don't think I'm quite back into the swing of things yet.  You know what Draco?  I think it might be months before we're actually able to enjoy going out with someone new."

A sigh escaped from Draco's lips, "Yeah."

"And it may be longer, you know, before we're actually able to go to _bed_ with someone new……"

Draco got up, "Speak for yourself, woman. I have no trouble getting myself to bed with another warm body…"

Hermione shot up as well and turned to glare at Draco, "What I meant by 'bed' is to go to bed with someone who you want to keep waking up next to, not some shag of the week!"  Hermione got up and looked him in the eye as if she was searching for something.  She obviously found it. "Ah-ha!  You went to bed with Allanna didn't you? Despite the fact that you most likely acted like a complete prat and ran out on her, you went back and managed to bed her didn't you?"

"I sure did," said Draco, not noticing the anger in Hermione's eyes.  She got up and began to survey the area for the rug.  "Well, Malfoy, I think we can start putting this bloody rug down and you can back in bed with Allanna."

"Oh, no worries Hermione, I believe she's already left my bed, so I can spend the rest of the morning tinkering with the rug."

"Oh," was all Hermione said as she untied the ropes that held the rug together.

**~*~**

Draco left Hermione's a little confused as to why Hermione was so quiet the rest of the morning.  She barely spoke to him and worked as fast as she could, as if she was trying to get rid of him.  '_Nah,'_ thought Draco, '_She's probably just tuckered out from her awful date last night and lugging that blasted rug for ten blocks.'  _  He opened the door to his apartment to find Blaise sitting in his den flipping through the _Daily Prophet.  _

"Any good news in there?"  Blaise looked up and gave Draco a smile.  "Not much Malfoy, you know the usual, you mum and dad are still on 'vacation' in Monte Carlo….pretty nice to take a ten year vacation….."

Draco went into the kitchen and grabbed two bottles of butterbeer.  He brought one to Blaise and sat down across from his best friend.  "What do you say we got to the batting cages and pretend we're hitting bludgers?"  Draco had a nostalgic look in his eyes as he remembered his quidditch days.

Blaise smiled and nodded.  Sometimes he wished he was back in the wizarding world too.

**~*~**

Draco and Blaise managed to get to the batting cages a little after noon that day.  Draco was up at bat and hitting the balls with all his might.

Blaise was leaning against the fence watching his friend at bat and looking at the daily prophet, which he had brought with him.  He noticed a small article about Hermione and the new magazine she would be running in New York.  "Draco, mate, you know, I don't understand this 'relationship' you have with this Granger girl."

Draco leaned forward and hit the ball that was hurled towards him by the machine with such force he managed to get it to shoot out of the cage…..again.  The owner was not a big fan of Blaise and Draco, but they always paid for the damages.  "What do you mean Zabini?"

"Do you _enjoy being with her?"_

Another ball crashed through the netting and set off to disappear.  Draco reckoned it was all the repressed magic he had since he wasn't using magic as much these days.  "Yah."

Blaise continued to read the article about her education and her venturing out to attend the muggle university where she and Draco had met.  He looked at the picture in the paper.  '_Well, she's not completely unfortunate….never was into brunettes….what am I saying!  She's bloody gorgeous.  Malfoy needs to see a psych-witch……how can he _not_ have slept with her yet?' _"Oi, Malfoy, do you find this girl attractive?"  A muffled 'yeah' was heard from Draco's direction.  Blaise shook his head, "And you're not sleeping with her?"  Another mumbled sound came from Draco that sounded like a 'no.'

Draco put down his bat and took his protective helmet off.  He handed the bat to Blaise who put on his own helmet and took his place at bat.  "You know Draco, you are just afraid to let yourself be happy."

Draco turned red and started wishing that he had his own bat…….and Blaise's head hurling towards him so he could hit it with all his might.  '_What the hell is Blaise ranting on about?  And where does he come off asking me if I'm sleeping with her and i'm afraid__ to be happy?  Because I'm not sleeping with her? Because I managed to make a friend who happens to be a woman I have never been involved with sexually? Bloody nosy bastard……I hope his helmet falls into his eyes and a baseball just clocks him right in the…..'  "Why can't you give me credit for this?"  Draco's voice could be heard at the other cages, seeing as he was shouting at the top of his lungs._

Blaise was startled and turned to face Draco just as a baseball came flying out of the machine and hit him right where Draco wanted him to be hit.  Blaise fell over, his hands over his crotch, moaning in pain.  Draco walked over to him and stood over Blaise who was rolling around the cage.  "This is a bloody big thing for me.  I have _never _had a relationship with a woman that didn't involve sex!"  Draco took a deep breathe to calm down and helped Blaise up.  "You know, I really feel like this whole experience has helped me grow as a person."

"Hey!"  Draco and Blaise looked behind them and saw a boy who was about eleven glaring at the two of them.  "Are you finish yet?"

Draco walked over and glared right back at the kid.  "Look here, I have a whole stack of tokens in my pocket and I was here first.  Does that answer your questions?"

The boy was not about to back off.  "You were not."

"Was too," said Draco defensively.

"Were NOT!"

"WAS TOO!"

The boy glared at Draco and stuck his tongue out.  It took all of Draco's self-control to not pull out his wand and hex the child for all eternity.  "You're a BIG JERK mister."  One more glare and the boy stomped off.  "Blasted children, they should be kept in cages!" yelled Draco to the boy who was pointing at him and speaking to a woman who was surely his mother.  "Where was I now?"

Blaise picked up his bat and got back to hitting the baseballs.  "You said something about how you were growing."

"Oh, yes.  It's very freeing.  I can say _anything_ to her."

Blaise stopped in mid-bat and promptly moved aside as to not get hit again.  "Are you saying that you can say things to _her that you can't say to me?"  Blaise's eyes flashed with resentment.  Draco patted him on the back.  "Nah, mate, it's just….different.  It's a whole new perspective.  I get the woman's point of view on things.  She tells me about the men she goes out with and I can talk to her about the women that I see."_

The look on Blaise's face was unreadable, "You tell Granger about the women you've been with?"

Draco nodded, "Yeah, like the other night.  I made love to Allanna, and it was so incredible, I believe I took her to a place that wasn't humanly possible to reach…..Blaise….she _meowed._"

"You made a woman meow?"

"Yeah, that's the point; I can say these things to her.  Can you imagine if I ever tried to talk to Parkinson back at Hogwarts about what women _meowed while having sex with me? She would have gone absolutely nutters.  But Hermione is different.  And the great thing is I don't have to lie because I'm not always thinking about how to get her into bed.  I can just…be myself!  So…Blaise?  Mate?  Are you alright?"  Draco shook Blaise's shoulder.  He had a dazed look on his face.  Blaise turned to Draco, _

 "You made a woman _meow?"_


	13. Diner Delights

**_Chapter 13: Diner Delights_**

****

****

Hermione sat across from Draco at one of their new favorite places to eat, _Egan's Diner.  Now one person who had known Draco in his younger years would have nearly wet their pants seeing their favorite nemesis dining among common muggles, that is, unless you were a New York City veteran.  All the witches and wizards from all five Burroughs in New York knew that Egan Nealson was an old wizard who had married a New York witch.  They ran their diner much like _The Leaky Cauldron_ in London.  From the back of the diner, there was a wall that opened up into Erskine Alley, New York's version of Diagon Alley.  Most people stayed in the city and only ventured into Erskine Alley to stock up on potions supplies or to use the apparition ports._

On a Sunday morning, Draco and Hermione chose to dine at _Egan's_ after apparating back from a concert that they attended in Philadelphia.  Hermione was completely knackered from her lack of sleep, and Draco did not look much better.  _Egan's was crowded as usual with both muggle and wizard customers.  The menus were charmed so that those who were witches and wizards who knew that they were (there was always a risk of a muggle-born having magic and reading some of the wizard food items offered) saw that aside from omelets and French toast, they also served pumpkin juice, pumpkin pasties, and a variety of wizard candy._

Hermione took a seat with Draco in their usual booth. Egan, the owner, acknowledged the two with a smile and immediately brought over a carafe of pumpkin juice and a pot of coffee to his favorite regulars.

"'ow are ye Mister Malfoy?"  Draco looked up and smiled at the elderly wizard.  "Just fine Egan.  Hermione and I just returned from a fantastic symphony concert in Philadelphia.  Pity that place doesn't have a great wizard community."

Egan nodded and turned to Hermione who gave him a warm smile and held out her cup so he could fill it with coffee.  "You know Egan, no one makes coffee like you."  Egan smiled, and in a low voice whispered to both Draco and Hermione, "All it takes is a bit 'o magic, if ya' know what I mean," and he left them with a wink.

"That man is bloody crazy sometimes.  I wonder if the ministry knows that he's using magic to make his food?"  Draco took a sip of his coffee and looked at Hermione who was busy stirring in the creams and sugars that Egan had brought over…on the side.

"I wouldn't fret about it.  Egan doesn't have anything to worry about, as long as he doesn't whisper his secrets to everyone."  Hermione turned to look at Egan who was bent over whispering to another couple who was in a booth not to far from theirs.  Hermione shook her head and turned to look at Draco.

"So, let's finish that conversation we had.  About your women and what you do after you've made love."

Draco winced when she said 'made love.'  Sometime he Hermione was a little too stiff for his liking.  He took another sip of coffee and nodded his head to let Hermione know that it was fine to continue the conversation.

"Well, so what do you do with these women?  Such as, let's see, in the last few months, it was Allanna, then Susan, then there was your stint with some girl called Bitsy?  Yes, well, do you just get up out of bed and leave?"

"Sure do."  Draco took another sip and reached into his bag for a copy of _The Daily Prophet_ that they received by own before entering the diner.

"Well, explain to me how you do it.  What do you say?"  Draco raised his eyebrows and peered over the top of the newspaper he was reading. Did Hermione want to know how to play a little slap and tickle and run?

"Well," Draco put the paper down and leaned on the table, a small smirk forming on his face.  "You usually tell them you have an 'early meeting,' or an early appointment with your stylist or something along the lines of an early muggle-game of some sort, like, racquetball."

Hermione shook her and scowled, "You don't play racquetball, or even _know what racquetball is!"_

Draco leaned back on the booth and frowned, "Well, the women don't have to know that!"

"Ugh, you're disgusting."  Hermione began to mix a new cup of coffee when their food arrived.  She started to eat and pick out the parts she didn't want.  Draco just let out a small laugh, "I know, I feel terrible," he said with a mocking tone.

Hermione put her silverware down and glared at Draco.  He sensed it and looked at her with puppy dog eyes and batted his lashes.  She wasn't falling for it.  '_Well, I guess I know now that she's not about to take tips from me on my patented 'shag and run' method.'_

She glared for a few moments before speaking.  "You know, I am _so glad that I never got involved with you!"  Draco placed his hand on his heart and let out a big sigh.  "You stupid git, stop playing around, i'm talking about something serious here!"  Draco laughed, then pouted, his lower lip trembling slightly. "If I had gotten involved with the likes of you, I would have ended up being just _some woman_ you had to get up out of bed and leave at three in the morning and clean your flue when __you don't even have a fireplace that really works!  Well, not that I would have noticed."_

Draco shook his head and continued to spoon his eggs benedict into his mouth.  "I don't know why you're so upset Hermione, this isn't about you."

"Yes it is!   You are a human affront to all women and _I am a woman." _

"Look, Granger, I never said I was happy to do it, but no one ever complained to me about it.  You're the first woman to do so and I have never even so much as _seen_ the inside of your bedroom for as long as I've known you!"

Hermione huffed and took a big bite of her bagel. She swallowed and took a big gulp of her pumpkin juice.  "You know why none of your little ladies have ever complained?  Because you're out of the door before they can even utter a word!"

Draco lazily buttered his toast and took a bite, "Well, I think they have an alright time."

"How would you know Malfoy? Do you call and compare notes in the morning after your 'racquetball game' or 'early meeting'?"

"I just know, now shut up and eat your breakfast."

"Don't tell me to shut up!  How do you know that your bedwarmers are having a grand time?"

"Because they…well, you know…."

Hermione smiled, "Well, so you _think _they're having a fancy ol' fun romp with you because you think they…."  Draco nodded and blushed a bit.  He had talked about sex with Hermione, but never the actual _details.  The idea of how far this conversation would go was a bit mortifying, and he saw Hermione's smile.  She __knew this conversation was making him uncomfortable.  "Well, Malfoy, since you seem to know _everything_, tell me, how do you know that they're really…….you know…."_

Draco dropped his napkin on the table and leaned over the booth to come face to face with Hermione.  "Are you trying to say that they might be," Draco looked around the diner; everyone else seemed to be preoccupied with their breakfasts.  He lowered his voice, "_Are you saying they're faking orgasm?!"  Draco leaned back and contemplated the thought.  Would women __dare fake with him?  Draco Malfoy?  The thought made a cold shiver run down his spine._

Hermione had a smug, knowing look on her face.  "It's possible you know."

"Shut up!  It's not possible, I refuse to acknowledge that it can be faked."

"Why?  Most women at one time or another have faked it."

Draco shook his head like a child defying his mother.  "Well, they haven't ever faked it with me."

"How do you know Malfoy?"

"I just do."

Scowling, Hermione poured herself more coffee. "Oh, that's right, I forgot!  You're a man."  Hermione hated being told that she was wrong, about anything, even about orgasms.

"And what is that suppose to mean?  Huh? Please, enlighten me with what you know Hermione."

A thought suddenly came to Hermione (*no pun intended on that sentence..ha!).  She gave Draco her most sinister smile that she could muster, which really looked more like lopsided smirk.  "Oh, nothing.  It's just that all men are it never happened to them and that most women at one time or another have done it so you do the math."

Draco didn't like the way Hermione was smirking….or scowling…or whatever expression it was she was wearing on her face. She was up to something, he just wasn't sure what.  "You don't think I could tell the difference?!"  Draco shook his head, the thought of him not knowing he was being played by a woman faking orgasm was laughable in his mind.

"No."

"Bloody hell Hermione, I can assure you that I can tell the difference!"  Draco picked up the newspaper that he had discarded earlier and began to read it.  He was waiting for Hermione's response.  He heard nothing but silence.  And then he heard a small, guttural moan coming from the Hermione's side of the booth.  He peered over the paper and saw Hermione with both her hands flat on the table-top, head thrown back, a look of lust on her face.  "oooooo….ahh….mmm……"

"Umm….Granger?  Are you alright?"

"Ohh….oh yes!  Oh…..oohhhhh…."  Hermione started shaking a bit, throwing her head  back a bit more, a smile opening on her face.  Draco was looking at her, as were most of the customer's in the diner.  Some of the men were giving Draco a thumps up, while some of the women were staring at Hermione, then at Draco, looks of wanting on their faces.  "Oh…..ahhh….oh yeah….right there…yesssssss….oh….ohh…." Hermione started to slap the table, shaking even more violently, "Yes!  Yes yes yes yes…ohhhh…oh…oh…..yes yyesssssss..ohhh …oh god……ah……"  Hermione let out one last breathy moan, sat up, and wiped the corners of her mouth with her napkin and gave Draco a smile.

The lady in the next booth looked at the waitress who had watched the whole scene unfold, "I'll have what she's having."  Several ladies in the diner nodded.

And for once, Draco was speechless.


	14. Holidays

**Chapter 14:  Holidays **

Draco looked at himself in the mirror.  It was the dead of winter and he could hear the cold wind howling outside.  He was checking to see if he had anymore hair left on his face.  During the summer and well into the fall, he had decided to grow a beard.  He thought it would make him look older and make women run to him more than they already did.  Unfortunately, it had a reverse effect.  No one wanted a hairy-faced Draco. Hermione had constantly remarked on how ridiculous he looked.  Draco checked the clock on his bedside table.  He was supposed to meet Hermione at the Christmas tree lot a few blocks from her house.  She insisted on getting a tree despite the fact that she would be leaving for London to celebrate the holiday with her parents.  Draco would be apparating to the Malfoy Estate in Monte Carlo to see his parents.  Today would be the last day he could spend with Hermione before New Year's Eve.  Draco stepped back from the mirror, "Well, it's about time we saw your bare face again!"  '_Blasted talking mirrors.'  _Draco never got over the fact that even though he wanted to live as a muggle, his mother still managed to smuggle in as many magical things into his home as she could.

_Rrrrrriinnnngg!_  Draco picked up the phone wondering if it was the girl he shared his bed with the night before, and promptly threw out in the morning.  He winced at the though.

"Hello?  Oh, yes, well, about that….well, I can pick some up on the way there.  Give me 15 minutes; I'll meet you at the lot."

~*~

"Ooof!"  

Draco stared at the mess in front of him.  It was a mixture of snow, pine needles, and a head of brown hair.

"Well, are you just going to stand there staring?  You stupid oaf, stop walking so damn fast!"

Draco stifled a laugh and held out a hand to help Hermione back on her feet.  They each grabbed an end of the Christmas tree that Hermione had just purchased.  They lugged it up the stairs to her apartment and propped it up immediately on the tree stand that Hermione had transfigured from an old bowl.

"Would you like some tea Draco?"  Hermione's voice rang out into the living room where Draco was unpacking Hermione's ornaments that she had set out the night before.  He couldn't remember the last time that he really decorated a tree.  Actually, he had _never decorated a tree and he was thirty-one years old! '__Well, no time like the present I suppose.'    He began to place the ornaments in order by size and color, "Tea would be great!"_

"Coming right up!"  Draco could hear Hermione banging around in the kitchen.  He looked around the room and decided he might as well get comfortable.  He took out his wand and a small fire appeared in the fireplace. A short while later, Hermione walked in with two mugs of tea and a smile formed on her lips at the scene in front of her.  Draco was curled up on the floor by the ornaments, the light of the fire bouncing off his golden hair.  He was half asleep.  She went over and sat down on the floor next to him and placed his mug of tea by his head.  She leaned back on the side of the couch and sipped her tea, happy and content.

~*~

**_Two weeks later_**

**_December 31st_**

****

"What the hell do you mean you aren't coming to pick me up?!  Do you _know_ how absolutely impossible it will be for me to apparate to your place with _all my bloody bags and parcels you inconsiderate waste of air!"  Hermione Granger was sitting on a toilet in a public restroom at JFK International Airport.  A silencing charm had been placed around the stall so other patrons would not hear her scream into her cell phone, cursing Draco Malfoy over and over in her head._

Earlier in the week, Draco had invited Hermione to a New Year's Eve party at The Plaza, an extravagant hotel in New York.  She told Draco that would be fine, as long as he came to pick her up in her car, because the last thing she needed was to hail a cab with five suitcases on New Year's Eve at JFK Airport.  And now, while quietly sobbing into her handkerchief, Hermione Granger had to listen to Draco tell her that he was unable to leave for a few more hours because a certain woman named Katrina was occupying his bed and was dead asleep.

"Fine you miserable prat!  Why don't you take your precious Katrina to your fancy party while I spend the rest of my day hailing a cab and enduring an awful ride back to the city?"  Hermione sobbed even louder.

"You really should stop simpering, you pitiful wench.  It doesn't become you at all."  Hermione stopped sobbing instantly.  Draco was speaking to her, but it did not sound like he was talking on the phone, it sounded like he was…..

"Surprise!"  There, in front of a tear-stained Hermione stood Draco Malfoy, his usual smirk in place.

He opened his arms and awaited Hermione's hug, but he got a different kind of welcome.  Hermione got up from the toilet and began screaming at him, wand waving in his face.

"You stupid, conniving, mean….oh!  Of all the…..ggrrrr! I swear I could just…."

"Give me a hug and laugh with me?"  Draco saw that she was in no mood to laugh.  Hermione sat back down on the toilet seat and blew her nose.  She looked up at Draco, most of the anger melting away.

"How in the world did you find me and why in the name of Merlin did you do it, and why are we still in this awful bathroom stall?"

Draco leaned against the door.  "Well, Granger, I did a simple locator charm.  Found you right here, fourth bathroom, second floor, first stall on the right. Second, I haven't given you your Christmas present yet, so I thought I would get you roaring mad now, so when you see what a disappointment your present is, I can remind you of this moment, and suddenly I'm the best present-giver in the world, and third, I made sure the silencing charm is still on, enlarged the stall a bit, and I think it's a rather intimate place to meet a friend," he said with a wink.

"Shut up. Grab my bags and let's go." Hermione peeked outside the stall and made sure there was no one there.  She and Draco undid the silencing and enlargement charm, as well as the shrinking charms she did on her bags when she went to hide in the bathroom stall.  Hermione did a quick lightening charm on the bags and they were off to retrieve the rest of her bags and get back to the city.

As they walked towards the car, Hermione turned to Draco, "So, what _did_ you get me for Christmas?"

"A night of unbelievable erotic pleasure starring yours truly."  The blush that crept up Hermione's cheeks was present enough for Draco.  "I'm kidding, it's in the car."

They got in the car a short while later and Hermione was literally bouncing on her seat.  "I want my present!  After that foul incident an hour ago, I deserve the world's biggest diamond necklace and dinner…a fancy, large, money draining dinner…speaking of money draining, how was Monte Carlo?"

Draco shrugged his shoulder, "The same I suppose.  Nothing fantastic, mother is still a complete cow when it comes to muggles. Father has yet to return to England and I think it's making him a bit batty.  Oh, and my cousin Euphremia was there. She was a force not to be reckoned with.  That and she has a thing for walking around completely starkers.  She said it lets her magical energy flow without constriction, but I think it's because she wants to attract the attention of Barkley Marsh, one of the richest men in Monte Carlo, former dark wizard, savvy dresser, known bachelor with a penchant for naked nubile Malfoy women.  All in all, just another couple of normal days in the Malfoy household.  And was London was just was entertaining?"

"Well, naked cousins decided not to join in the festivities, but all in all, it was a good time, and it was nice to be back in England, and to see my mum and dad.  Also, I saw Ginny there, so it was nice to have someone to talk about New York with me.  I met her brother, Ron Weasley, I believe he still has a death threat pointed in your direction, and get this, Harry is his _best friend_!  So I happened upon Harry the last night I was there and we had a nice chat and all.  Apparently he's engaged to some girl from Hogwarts.  I think her name was Pavaroti? Parmaloni?"

"Parvati?"  said Draco with a smile.  The Patil twins, especially Parvati, were like sirens.  They knew just how to draw a guy in a keep him until they were tired of playing.  He himself had experienced great pleasure, and pain in getting involved with a Patil twin.  He was a bit surprised that the wildest twin wanted to settle down, and with Harry Potter none the less.

"Oh so you know her, do you?"  Jealousy was dripping from Hermione's quavering voice.  It obviously did her no good to hear that after year and a half, Harry had replaced her, and agreed to get married.

Draco had to come up with something to prevent tears from falling.  "You know, I heard that Parvati and her twin sister are part Veela, so more than likely Harry is with her because he's enamored with her.  I am sure he will never love anyone like he loved you."  

"Well, perhaps. But it was a good time and I was glad to go back, but now I'm going home and that feels even better."  A small smile crept onto Hermione's face.  It grew considerably larger as Draco produced a small robins-egg blue box from the inside of his coat pocket.  Hermione quickly clapped her hands as Draco placed the box on her lap.

"Oh Draco…"  Hermione ripped the ribbon off and opened the box.  She gasped and lifted the contents out of the box.

A pile of pearls lay in the palm of Hermione's hand.  It was a brilliant necklace  with five strings of pearls holding together a stunning silver pendant flanked with sparkling round diamonds.  For the first time that day, Hermione was rendered speechless for a few seconds. 

"Draco, this is absolutely stunning."  Hermione stared at the necklace which was a bit ostentatious for her usual taste, but it was stunning. Hermione smiled and Draco was pleased to see that she seemed to truly love it.  Hermione reached into her carry-on bag. "Well, since you gave me mine, here's yours."  Draco took the slim gold package from Hermione's hands and looked at the wrapped present for a moment.  It screamed Hermione just by the way it was wrapped:  precise, perfect creases, and a tasteful bow, which was on the side.  He grinned at Hermione and tore open the present with such gusto he looked like a child opening the first Christmas present.  When all the wrapping was shed, in his hands lay a small wooden case.  He opened it and found a gold compass.  Confusion lit up Draco's face and Hermione chimed in quickly, "I know you don't really _need _a compass, you have a perfectly good one on your broom, and you do have an uncanny sense of direction, but this one is different." Hermione reached over and took out the compass. She placed it in Draco's hand, "Now think of the food that you want right now." Draco closed his hand over the compass and thought for a moment. Hermione giggled a bit seeing the serene expression on his face. "Now, open your hand. Tell me what you see."

Draco opened his palm and looked down at the compass.  "Well, I see a giant bowl of spaghetti with meatballs, expensive wine, and something that looks a bit like tiramisu, although I was thinking crème brulee."

"Well, notice how the arrow is pointing north east?  If you go in that direction, you find exactly what you see.  The compass directs you to what you want the most, such as the book that you want to read, food you want to eat, even people you want to date!  I thought I would just give you a little nudge in trying to move on and find someone to wake up to in the morning."

Draco closed his hand over the compass again and thought for a moment.  He opened up his hand and looked at the face of the compass and where the arrow was pointing to.  He looked in that direction, a small smile on his face, and a heavy heart to go along with it.

"It's perfect.  Much more thoughtful than that bobble I gave you.  But I must insist you wear it to the party we're going to tonight.  However, I must warn you, if this compass directs me away from you and onto a harem of nubile supermodels, it's not my fault, it's yours."

"Absolutely no need to warn me.  I am sure I'll lose you to a leggy, nubile man-snatcher within five minutes into the party."

Draco started the car, "Well then, I say we head northeast, get some spaghetti, and then off to get ourselves primped for this evening."

Hermione rolled her eyes.  '_This is going to be an interesting evening.'  _


	15. New Year

**Chapter 15:  New Year**

****

Hermione dropped Draco off at his apartment and drove back to Chelsea to get ready for the party that evening.  She had no idea how she was going to get into her dress after eating heaps of pasta, but she figured a quick nap would do the trick.

At quarter past six, Hermione's alarm clock woke her up and she lazily made into the shower to get herself ready for the party.  She slid into a bath and was out by seven o'clock.  Hermione looked in the mirror and could just imagine the women who would be at the party.  Fancy, tall, gorgeous women.  Draco women.  With a sigh, Hermione went into her closet and pulled out a dress bag.  Inside was a simple taupe dress.  The satin material contrasted beautifully with Hermione's dark hair and eyes.  Her ivory complexion seemed brighter in the dress.  Hermione smiled and found the jewelry box on her vanity.  She slipped the necklace on her neck and nearly gasped at her reflection.  A simple wave of her wand and Hermione's long locks were swept into an elegant pile of curls.  '_Not bad at all,' _thought Hermione as she slipped on her shoes.  Another wave of her wand and her make-up looked flawless.  Just then she heard a knock on her door.

~*~

Draco Malfoy was a no fuss type of guy.  At least he liked to think that he was.  Tonight was very important to him, mainly because it was a political opportunity for him, as well as a business one.  It was also New Year's Eve, and he was spending it with his best friend, _who was a girl_, he reminded himself as an image of Blaise in a tight dress made him wince.  Draco had on his tux feeling pretty good about his reflection.  With a wink at his mirror who sounded as if it was swooning, Draco made his way downstairs to the limousine that would take him and Hermione to the party.

~*~

Silence.  That was all Hermione heard when she had opened her door to let Draco in.  Silence.  She thought she looked bloody fantastic and her amazing prat of a best friend was just _staring at her in __silence!!!!!  _

"Well, you better say something pretty fast before I take this stupid dress off and eat a whole gallon of the gelato you brought me back!"  Hermione was fuming, her face flushed, and her eyes were dark pools of anger.

"Oh…well, umm…" Draco stammered as he tried his hardest to put all the dirty thoughts running around like mad in his mind back in their proper place. He took Hermione's hand and pulled her closer.  "You look divine. Let's go get sloshed and eat some fancy food, then I can show you off to all my man-friends, then manage to leave the party with you unscathed."  Smirk in place, Draco cocked his head to one side, puppy dog eyes in place.  Hermione could hardly resist, plus, he looked absolutely dashing in his tuxedo, but she would never tell him that.  She playfully hit him with her clutch and reached into the hall closet for her winter cloak.  She slipped on a pair of gloves that matched her dress and clasped on a diamond cuff on her right hand.  Draco was in awe of his best friend.  All her little movements were enchanting.  The way she scrunched up her nose, the way she carefully swished her wand all over her and muttered several beauty charms that kept her hair and makeup immaculate.  The way she slipped on her gloves on and transfigured her key holder into a diamond cuff.  

Hermione was staring into the mirror making final adjustments to her appearance when she caught a sight of Draco leaning against the door frame, his gaze transfixed on her.  She smiled a little and was pleased to see that she might just be as pretty as all his supermodel and actress girlfriends.  She liked how he seemed so peaceful, yet intent while he watched her fix little details.  His smile always made her feel warm and loved, his eyes always seemed so icy, yet they were always laughing….

"Ahem."  Hermione jumped a bit out of her reverie and turned to face Draco who was holding the door open for her.  Hermione adjusted her cloak on her shoulders and stepped out into the hallway and into Draco's arms as he led her to the limo.

~*~

The Plaza was spectacular.  Draco and Hermione entered the hall where cocktails were being served before the dinner started.  Rich red and gold accents sparkled around them.  Draco looked at Hermione and thought that if she had gone to Hogwarts, she surely would have been in Gryffindor, and the red and gold room would have gathered a more enthusiastic reaction than the one Hermione was already having.

"Draco, this place is amazing!"  Hermione stared wide-eyed at all the sparkling diamonds on the women's necks and wrists.  Her gaze tore away from the jewels to take a look in the ballroom where the band was setting up.  She turned to look at Draco who was grinning wildly.

"You know, I believe you were brought up pretty well Granger.  You really should stop gawking like a street urchin.  It isn't very becoming and people are starting to stare."

"Shut up.  I was merely taken aback by all the grandeur that this place has to offer.  I _was_ brought up well and we were by no means destitute, but we never threw our money around and pranced about in fancy shoes and ate caviar off of these detestable crackers."  Hermione set down the napkin she was holding and walked towards the bar to get a glass of champagne.

Draco followed suit and leaned against the bar next to Hermione.  "I was kidding.  The way you're dressed tonight, you definitely fit in with all the grandeur."  Hermione blushed a bit and was about to return the compliment when a loud, screechy sound interrupted her thoughts.

"Draco?!!!!!! Malfoy?!!!!! Oh my stars, it _is_ you!"  Both Draco and Hermione turned around to face the direction of where the offending screeches were coming from.  They were soon face to face with a large blond head and what seemed like several _hundred_ yards of pink taffeta and lace charging towards Draco.  Draco soon found himself being embraced by the pink-taffeta creature.  He politely pulled back from the embrace, and his look of confusion turned into a sour frown.

"Pansy, what a surprise."  Hermione sipped her champagne and quietly watched to see the exchange that was about to happen.

"Oh Draco, darling, it's been too long really!"  Hermione gathered that she had to be a family friend from England, with the accent and all, that, and her familiarity with her best friend.  "Your mum contacted my mum and told me about this fantastic party that these silly muggles are throwing and she told me that _you were going to be here and so Milicent and me flooed right over.  We're staying in this place as well. I must say, it must be nice to be muggle and roaring rich, eh?  And you will never believe how well I've adjusted to life here, although your mum did say that this place is awfully dreadful, and she was hoping that perhaps I can convince you to come home, but I truly like it here, and we do have this squib for a maid and it's lovely and you look so dashing, and….hold on….who is _she_?"  Pansy pointed a long pink nail in the direction of Hermione who at the moment was minding her own business.  Pansy stared at her with such icy anger that Hermione could swear there was a chill in the room. _

"Oh, well, Pansy, this is my best friend here in the States, Hermione Granger."  Hermione held out her hand to take Pansy's, but Pansy just looked her up and down, sideways, and her gaze finally landed on the necklace on Hermione's neck.  

"What a pretty bobble you've got there.  Is that how you're paid?  What pretty, shiny things you must get."  Hermione stared at the blond witch with wide eyes and a deep desire to hurt her.  How _dare_ she insinuate that she was some harlot on the streets of New York who was _paid by men?  The nerve!_

Hermione walked closer to Pansy until they were eye to eye.  "I will have you know that I too am a witch and pretty skilled at unforgivable curses.  I was the top student in Salem Academy, top student at the muggle university I attended, and now editor of a witch magazine here in New York.  I have a lovely flat and better bottom that you have, although under that pink monstrosity, I wonder what else you're hiding, and this is my _real_ hair color.  So you can take your insipid self back to London, or at least across the room."  Hermione stepped back, grabbed hold of Draco's arm, and dragged him into the ballroom where dinner was about to be served.  He looked over his shoulder to a speechless Pansy.  With a little wave, he and Hermione entered the ballroom to find their table.  Once they were seated, they sat in silence, each waiting for the other to break it.  Draco decided that he had to explain who Pansy was.

"I was engaged to her, well, betrothed to her when we were younger, and well, before you-know-who was pummeled by well, Harry.  She's a royal pain in every part of my body, and I apologize for her behavior.  I will be sure to contact my mum and she'll see to it that she never attends anything I'm attending with you ever again."  Draco looked at Hermione, searching for some emotion in her eyes.  She was silent for a few more moments, and then she smiled.  "You're _friend was a complete cow, but I do hope she stops by our table, I forgot to mention a few things to her."  _

Dinner was served and Hermione and Draco spent most of the evening talking to the people at their table, and accepting dances from all over the room.  The big clock that was set up showed that it was 11:40 p.m.  Just moments before midnight.

"This is the last dance before the new year!  Pick someone you want to bring the New Year in with and get back on the dance floor!!"   The band leader struck up a slower song as couples walked towards the dance floor.  Draco made his way through the crowd quickly and was glad to see Hermione was without a partner.  He held out his hand and led her to the middle of the dance floor.  They danced to the music before either spoke.

"I'm glad you shaved that ridiculous beard you were sporting for a while.  Now I can see you face."  Hermione looked up and smiled.

"Well, glad to know that my face is so appealing."  Hermione playfully swatted him on his back as they twirled around the dance floor, acting much sillier than anyone around them.  They each took turns dipping each other, as well as attempting to do the tango, which was regrettably the worse dance performance of their lives.  Hermione was back in Draco's arms, her head resting on his shoulder.  "I really want to thank you for taking me out tonight."

Draco lifted her chin so that she was facing him.  "Don't be daft.  The next New Year's eve, if neither of us is with anybody, you've got me to spend it with."

"Deal."  Hermione put her cheek against Draco's, "With these blasted heels on, we can now dance cheek to cheek."

"Right," said Draco, not knowing why he felt complete at that very moment.

The song stopped playing, and the band leader turned around to face the crowd, "Ten seconds till New Year!"

_…ten…nine….eight…._

"Hey," said Draco, pulling Hermione towards the patio, "let's go get some air."  They stepped outside, the cold winter wind hitting them, they a warm gust afterwards. Several outdoor heaters were scattered about the patio.  Draco took off his jacket and draped them on Hermione's shoulders as they watched the party from the open doors.

…_six…..five….four…three…two…ONE…Happy New Year!!!  "Auld Lange Syne" began to play as the people in the party hugged and kissed in celebration of the new year.  Outside, Draco and Hermione watched.  Draco turned to Hermione and awkwardly gave her a kiss on the cheek and a hug.  Hermione returned the kiss and hug, feeling a bit awkward herself.  "Happy New Year," they both mumbled as they walked back into the ballroom, not knowing why they felt so odd._


	16. Double Date

Chapter 16:  Double Date

Winter was almost over.  Draco and Hermione saw very little of each other after the New Year's Eve party, partly due to work, but mostly because they felt a bit uneasy around each other after that evening.  

It was the end of February, a good month since Hermione had seen Draco.  At the moment, she and Ginny were walking towards a restaurant where they were meeting Draco and Blaise.  They decided that they were having terrible luck with finding significant others, so they decided to set each other up with the other person's best friend (of the same sex).

"Blast this cold!  I don't believe it was ever this bitter back in England!  I mean, I am walking around with a warming charm and I still feel the chill!"  Ginny stepped off the curb, a frozen Hermione at her heels.  "Oh, and by the way, I sent flowers to myself the other day."

Hermione, out of breath, had finally caught up with her friend.  "Were you feeling a bit down?  Sending flowers to yourself seems perfectly fine; you sound a bit off about it."

"No, I sent it so that that stupid prat, that waste of my time, Mr. Stupid would see them in the front hall and ask questions."  Ginny sniffed, and Hermione saw the angry and disappointed look on Ginny's face.

"So you sent yourself these flowers to get under Mr. Stupid's skin?"

"Sixty dollars I spent!  I meant, I could have transfigured the bloody toilet into a bouquet, but I _really_ thought that if I was genuinely muggle and authentic about it, the whole idea would have better karma!  I spent _sixty bloody dollars on this big stupid arrangement of flowers and I wrote a card that I planned to leave out on the front table so Mr. Stupid would come in and see it."_

"Can I ask what the card said?"  Hermione stopped walking to hear the story.  Ginny leaned against a light post and sighed.  "It said 'Please say yes. Love, Jhonathan.'"

"Well," asked Hermione as she grabbed onto Ginny's arm and led her towards the restaurant, "did it work?"

A small sob escaped from Ginny's mouth, "He never even came over!  He forgot he had some bloody charity thing that his cow of a wife was a chairwoman of.  He's _never going to leave her!"_

"Well Ginny, of course he isn't.  I believe Lavender and I have told you this many times."

"You're right, you're right.  I _know you're right!  Ugh.  Anyways, where is this place?"_

Hermione looked around, "I believe it's somewhere on the next block."

"Ugh….I can't believe I'm doing this!  This is _Draco Malfoy!  You know how Ron feels about him!  Merlin, he is drop-dead yummy, but Herms!  He was in __Slytherin….although that whole 'bad-boy' thing is pretty alluring…"_

Hermione rolled her eyes, "First of all, he is not a 'bad-boy.'  He works very hard and is very successful.  And he's one of my best friends, and you're one of my best friends, and if by some chance you two hit if off, then we can all still be friends instead of drifting apart the way you do when you get involved with someone who doesn't know your friends."

"That's not true!  You and I have not 'drifted apart' since I started seeing Mr. Stupid."

"Alright, well, if Mr. Stupid ever left his wife, and I actually met him, i am sure that you and I would drift apart."

"He's never going to leave her Herms!"

"Well, of course he isn't," said Hermione matter-of-factly, "Have you not listened to me for the past year?  The past month? Hour?"

Ginny sobbed again, "You're right, you are and I know it and i'm a fool to think that he even loved me!"

"Hush up, we're almost there."

~*~

"Draco, I don't know about this."  Blaise walked slowly as if he was on his way to his own funeral.  Draco was setting him up with Hermione.  I mean, she was breathtaking in every sense of the word, but she was, or at least from what Draco had told him, very…..articulate and intense…..he wanted someone who was a bit flighty, carefree, someone who would run off to London on a whim and not even worry if they forgot to leave food for the cat.  Hermione did not seem like an on-a-whim kind of girl, more like a full itinerary type.

"It's just dinner!"

Blaise shook his head, "You know Malfoy, and I have finally gone to a new place in my life where I am comfortable with the fact that it's just me and my work.  If she's so damn great, why aren't _you taking her out?"_

"For the last time Zabini, we're just bloody friends!"

Blaise winced a bit, "Are you saying that she's not attractive?"

"No, I told you that she _is attractive!"  Draco stuffed his hands in his pockets, irritated with Blaise's attitude towards the night.  _

"Well, you also told me that Hermione had a great personality!  When someone is not that attractive, they're always described as having a great personality."

Draco stopped walking.  "Look, if you would ask me, 'What does she look like?' and I said 'She has a good personality,' _that means that she's not attractive.  But just because I happened to mention that she does have a good personality, she could be either.  She could be attractive with a good personality, or not attractive with a good personality."_

Blaise crossed his arms over his chest and began to walk again.  After a few moments of silence, Blaise turned his head towards Draco, "So which one is she?"

"Attractive."

Blaise thought for a moment, "But she's not _beautiful, _right?"

~*~

Dinner was a quiet affair.  Draco and Ginny sat across from Blaise and Hermione.  Neither couple said much to each other.  The silence was almost palpable.  In the middle of the main course, Ginny struck up a conversation about robots with Draco was trying his hardest to appear interested in what the red-head was saying.  Hermione was rearranging the food on her plate when Blaise decided to strike up a conversation as well.

"So how's the writing going?"  Hermione looked up, almost startled that he was speaking to her.  "Oh, well, its fine, I suppose.  I'm an editor at the moment, so all I really write is a bit of snippet in my 'Editor's Corner.'  But hopefully, when i'm not too busy, I'll have a go at an article.  I just haven't written in so long now and I need to find an article that I am passionate about.  You're a writer as well, am I right?"

Blaise nodded his head.  "I am current working for the _New York__ Stargazer."_

"Oh, well, that must be fascinating, nagging celebrities an all."  Hermione frowned.  She literally hated the _Stargazer_.  It was a tabloid magazine focused on the socialites of New York and the celebrities that they mingled with.  Blaise frowned, thinking of a retort.

"I'll have you know that I write intriguing columns.  Some are quite intellectual, far from that dribble your writers spurt out in that women's lib rag that you call _Stratosphere_. And what is that name?  It's so bland!  Who in the world knows _what a stratosphere is, who cares?  I sure don't.  Intellectual magazine it is not!  Lining for your pet cat's liter box, yes."_

Draco and Ginny stopped their conversation to witness the fight that was brewing between Blaise and Hermione.  Hermione's face was red, and Blaise was literally fuming.  Both had their hands in their jackets, most likely on their wands.  Draco knew this would be interesting, if not, at least entertaining.  More so than the conversation on robots he was just having.

"Well, Blaise, I will have you know that my 'rag' is directed towards the professional witch: doctors, lawyers, and healers, professors, living and working in the muggle or wizarding world.  I have over two million subscribers in America alone, not to mention how many I have overseas.  And just to enlighten that mind of yours that must be _so_ overworked from tattling on which American starlet was seen cavorting with Mr. Millionaire on Park Avenue, the meaning of stratosphere that my magazine is based on is 'an extremely high or the highest point or degree on a ranked scale.'  That is what my 'rag' is: the highest on a ranked scale.  Now if you will excuse me, I need to use the ladies room."

With a huff, Hermione stomped to the bathroom leaving Blaise speechless, Ginny giggling, and Draco amused.  He looked around the table and smiled at his remaining table companions.

"Shall we order dessert then?"

Just as the waiter arrived, Hermione came back to her seat looking a bit calmer.  She took the dessert menu and looked at it for a moment and nodded to the waiter.

"I will have the strawberry shortcake, with vanilla ice cream and whipped cream, but I would like the ice cream and whipped cream on the side, not on the shortcake, and the strawberries on the side as well.  And I will only have the vanilla ice cream if it's vanilla bean, if not, then no ice cream."  Hermione set her menu down and took in the dumbfounded look on Blaise's face.  Draco noticed as well and jumped in before either could fire caustic remarks at each other.

"Blaise, what you have just witnessed is Hermione's great skill at ordering.  You missed her order at dinner since you conveniently planted yourself at the bar for most of the night."  Blaise almost said something, but Draco continued, "Not only does she always pick the best thing on the menu, but she orders it in a way that the chef didn't even know how good it could be!"

Hermione smiled at Draco.  Blaise just sat back in his chair, "I think restaurants have become too important."

Ginny leaned forward and nodded, "I completely agree. Restaurants are to people today what theatre was to people in the sixties.  I read that in a magazine."

Blaise leaned forward to face Ginny, a smile growing on his face, "I wrote that."

"Get out," Ginny playfully swatted his arm and giggled.

"No, I really did write that."  Blaise smiled at Ginny and Ginny blushed.  "I have never quoted anything from a magazine in my life!  That is bloody amazing!"  She looked around the table to Draco and Hermione, "Isn't that just amazing?"  Draco and Hermione shrugged.  Turning her attention back to Blaise she giggled a bit more, "And you of all people wrote it!"

Blaise felt his cheeks get a bit red from all the attention Ginny was giving him. This was a Weasley.  He hated Ron Weasley in Hogwarts. But looking at Ginny, he could care less about who she was to him back in school.  "I also wrote this article called 'Pass the Quiche: Waving Wands for Kitchen Wonders.'"

Ginny clasped her hands over her heart, "Are you serious?!  I remember reading that in Witch Weekly!  You know, that piece really had an impact on me, I mean, I don't know too much about writing, but you know……."

"Well, it spoke to you Ginny, and that is what I aim for in my writing, a piece that speaks to the public as a whole, not just a _select_ group," said Blaise, directing the last part to Hermione who rolled  her eyes and began to concentrate on her wine with feigned interest.

Ginny and Blaise continued to talk all throughout dessert.  Draco and Hermione sat in silence, obviously annoyed that their set-up had not worked out as planned.  Once outside, Blaise took Ginny's arm and led her down the street, Draco and Hermione lagging behind.

"You know Ginny; no one has ever quoted me before."  Ginny smiled.  She looked back at Hermione who had her hands stuffed in the pockets of her coat, frowning at the ground.

"I'll be right back Blaise," said Ginny as she went up to Hermione and grabbed her by the arm.

Once they were out of earshot from the boys, Ginny giggled excitedly.  "Well? What do you think of Blaise?  I mean, you don't seem too taken by him, and I adore talking to him and feel fantastic around him and…"

"So you're saying that you want to date Blaise Zabini?"

"Well, only if it's alright with you herms.  I don't want to be dodgy about it you know?"

"Sure, sure, that's perfectly alright with me."  Hermione turned towards the direction of the guys who were engaged in some conversation, possibly involving the cab full of young, blond Americans who were waving at them.  "I am just a bit worried about Draco. He's very sensitive you know. He's been through this awful period in his life and I just, well, I think it would be dreadful if you rejected him right now."

"Well, herms, I am sure that I can find a way to let him down gently, you know?"

Hermione nodded, her attention still focused on Draco and Blaise.

~*~

"Draco, you're my best mate right?"  Blaise was fiddling with his watch, occasionally gazing up to meet Draco's gaze.  Draco just nodded.

"Well, if you're not at all interested in Ginny, well, would it be alright if I called her sometime?

"Not at all mate, best of luck to you with that.  I was never too fond of dating a Weasley to begin with.  I believe her brother still holds a bit of grudge against me."

Blaise's smile grew larger, "Good, that's bloody fantastic!"

"But Zabini, I must say, you really shouldn't try anything tonight.  I mean, Hermione is still a bit vulnerable, after seeing Potter engaged to one of the Patil twins and all over the hols.  I mean, you can chat Ginny up all you want, but as far as calling her and taking her out and all; I would perhaps wait a week.  Don't make any moves tonight and make yourself look like a complete prat."

At that moment the girls walked over to them, Ginny automatically walking and standing next to Blaise.  "You know what, I was never too fond of walking, and I think we should just get a cab."

Blaise looked at the mischievous glint in Ginny's eyes and saw a taxi approaching them.  He held out his hand to hail it and as soon as it pulled up to the curb, He and Ginny jumped right in and sped off leaving a bewildered and visibly annoyed Hermione and Draco standing on the curb watching the cab disappear around the corner.


	17. ExWives

Chapter 17:  Ex-wives and People in Love

Four months later Draco and Hermione were out shopping for a wedding present for Ginny and Blaise.    It was a hot day in July and Hermione dragged Draco into a novelty shop to cool off and see if there was anything goofy they could get their best friends.  Draco took one look at the place and began to play around with a miniature basketball, pretending to slam dunk the ball into the pint sized net.

"Hermione, this thing is brilliant!  I have to get this for my place!"

Shaking her head, Hermione pulled Draco away from the basketball.  "We are going to look around and see if there are kitschy toys we can get Ginny and Blaise as a novelty present.  Come on."

Draco pulled free from Hermione's grip and ran around the store like a child.  "This place is wicked! Look!  Look at this!"  Draco ran over to Hermione and placed a helmet on her head.

"I knew we should have cooled off in the plant store.  You're being ridiculous. What is this thing on my head?"

"Well, according to this label," Draco pulled the helmet off her head and read out loud what it said on the side, "It is a battery operated pitching helmet with a fan attached."  Draco put the helmet down and his gaze fell on something behind Hermione.  "Bloody freakin' hell, look at this!"  Draco spun Hermione around and she was face to face with a muggle karaoke machine.  Before she knew it a microphone was thrust into her hand and music began to play…..

Draco began to sing along, reading the words off the lyric sheet that was set out.  Hermione was right next to him dancing along.

D:  "You walked into the party like you were walking onto a yacht…"  Hermione giggled a bit at the sound of Draco singing.  She looked at the lyric sheet and turned on her mike. "Your hat strategically dipped below one eye, your scarf it was apricot…"  Draco and Hermione put their mikes together and sang as loud as possible…..  
   
"You had one eye on the mirror as you watched yourself gavotte. And all the girls dreamed that they'd be your partner…..They'd be your partner, and...  
  
You're so vain, you probably think this song is about you….You're so vain, I'll bet you think this song is about you….Don't you? Don't You?"

Hermione began to sing the next part when she realized that Draco was no longer singing along.  He was staring at the far side of the store.  
  
"Malfoy?  Are you alright? It's not my voice is it?  I mean, I hate my voice, it's quite awful….."

"It's Helen."  Hermione followed his gaze and it landed on a tall, regal looking woman with a balding man next to her.

"Helen?!"  Just then, Hermione realized that she was still talking into the mic that was turned up to the highest volume.  Draco grabbed the mic and turned it off.  "She's coming right towards us!  Merlin, crap, what am I---"Draco pulled himself together immediately before his ex-wife approached him and Hermione.

The dark haired woman gave a small smile to her ex-husband and his friend.  "How are you Draco?"

Draco resisted the urge to lash out at her and tell her that he felt like he was worthless because of what she did to him.  Instead, he returned her smile, "Fine, I'm quite alright thanks."

Helen cleared her throat and took the arm of the man she was with.  "Draco, I would like you to meet Ira Burns.  Ira, this is Draco Malfoy."  Draco and Ira shook hands.  Draco held on for a moment, taking in the face of the man who took his wife.  A small nudge from Hermione brought him back to reality.  Draco looked back at Hermione who was nodding towards the other couple, waiting for him to introduce her.

"Oh, damn, where are my manners.  I am so sorry.  Hermione Granger, this is Helen Hillson, and Ira Burns."  

Hermione stepped forward, smile plastered on her face.  "It's a pleasure to meet you both."  The four of them stood in a circle in silence until Helen cleared her throat again.

"Well, it was nice to see you Draco, and it was a pleasure to meet you Hermione."  And with that Helen and Ira were out of the store leaving Draco and Hermione.  Hermione turned towards Draco who was looking paler than normal. 

"Are you alright?"

"Huh?"  Draco looked up and saw the concerned look in Hermione's eyes.  He didn't want to deal with anything concerned with Helen, so he knew he had to drop the subject…fast. "OH, well, I'm perfect really, I thought Helen looked a bit odd, don't you think?"  Hermione shrugged her shoulders and picked up her purse that she had set down on the ground.

"Well, I wouldn't really know Draco, seeing as I just met her today."

"Trust me; she was looking a bit off. Her legs looked heavy. Perhaps she was retaining water or something…."

Hermione shook her head, "Let's go."  She led him to the exit.  

Draco followed, mumbling to himself, "Trust me, that woman saved _everything."  They walked out of the shop and saw a farmers market nearby.  Hermione grabbed Draco's hand and dragged him to a flower vendor.  She picked a few out to make a nice bouquet, making small talk here and there.  She realized that Draco hadn't spoken in almost five minutes.  She turned to look at him and saw him with a distant look in his eyes.  She gently touched his arm to bring him back to normal, "Are you sure you're ok?"_

Draco shrugged, "Sure, absolutely fantastic really.  I mean, it had to happen eventually at some point.  In a city of eight million people, you're bound to run into you ex-wife.  It happened and now I'm fine."  Draco smirked and walked away, leaving Hermione to pay for her flowers and to catch up.

**SO SORRY for the very very short chapter!!! I am starting school soon and moving a bit so I have been slacking, but I am getting the next part out HOPEFULLY by the end of this week.**

**With love,**

**Kissy******


	18. Wagon Wheel Coffee Table

Chapter 18:  Wagon Wheel Coffee Table

It was a few days after the Helen encounter and Draco was acting a bit more civil towards the rest of society.  Hermione called him one Saturday and expressed an interest in seeing ginny and blaise.

"Draco," Hermione was getting  irritated.  She had been on the phone with draco for half an hour, trying to coax him out of bed.  "All this self-pity is terrible!  Please come out and visit ginny and blaise with me!  You know how much I hate trekking all the out to Westchester by myself! Please?  I'll buy you lunch, and dinner!  And then I'll rent "Casablanca" and we'll make popcorn!"  Hermione flopped face down on her bed waiting to hear draco speak for the first time.

On the other line, draco was flipping through a  old newspaper.  He heard Hermione breathing.  '_I'll bet she's all flopped down on her bed, wanting to claw my eyes out.'  He sat up straight and cleared his throat._

"I'll expect you downstairs in one hour.  If you aren't there when  I get down there, im marching right back up and  going back to bed."

Hermione jolted up from her bed and jumped around her room.  "You're the best!  I can't wait to see you!"  She hung up with draco and dialed ginny's new number in Westchester.  

"gin?  Great news!  Draco and I will be there in about 3 hours…..really?! …..i am excited!  See you soon!"  Hermione placed her phone on the bed and ran towards the bathroom to get ready.

~*~

Draco was tapping his foot impatiently in the lobby of his building waiting to see hermione's  SUV pull up.  Finally, the silver car pulled up exactly one hour from when he hung up the phone with her.  Draco slid into the passenger seat.  He and Hermione drove to Westchester in complete silence.

When  the reached the house, Hermione locked the doors and punched Draco in the arm.

"What the….?!"  Draco jumped up at the punch and glared at Hermione.

Hermione crossed her arms and scowled. "I don't know what your problem is Draco Malfoy, but I suggest you leave it in this car.  It has been ages since we're seen  Blaise and Ginny and I would like to have a nice visit with my **_best friends!_  So put a smile on, pretend you're not miserable, and then we can argue and yell on the way home."  Taking a deep breath, Hermione stepped out of her car and left Draco to follow after her.**

Once they were both at the front porch, Hermione rang the doorbell and immediately heard Ginny's squeals coming from inside the house.  The large wooden doors burst open and a flash of red came charging towards Hermione and engulfed her in a hug.

"Oh Herms!  I am so glad you're here!"  Ginny squealed a little louder and hugged Hermione again.  It was only after Hermione pinched Ginny 's arm that she stopped squealing and wrapped her arms around draco.  "Oh Malfoy, you look like death!  Cheer up, Blaise and I are having a bit of an argument and I know he'll be glad to have a man's opinion. "  Draco just shrugged and stepped into the foyer and looked around the new house.

The foyer was a marble dream.  Marble floors and pillars were eye-catching.  To the right was a small office, presumably Blaise's.  On the left was a grand living area that was entirely cream colored with a few tasteful splashes of color added in.  In front of Draco was a grand staircase.  Ginny grabbed hold of Draco's arm and lead him past the foyer to what seemed to be an informal living area.  Blaise was standing over what looked like a giant wagon wheel.

Blaise looked up and pointed to  the wheel. Draco moved closer to it and saw that it was a coffee table shaped like a giagantic wagon wheel.  Draco just shrugged and looked back at Hermione who was trying to comfort  a visibly annoyed Ginny.

"I like it," said Blaise, " it's very American and says 'Home' to me."

Ginny walked over and shook her head. "Well, how about we let Draco and Hermione decide."  Ginny looked at Hermione, then at Draco.  Draco felt a bit uncomfortable making a home decision, even if it was in Blaise's house.  Clearing his throat, Draco shrugged his shoulders, "I think it's…nice."

"Ha!" Blaise shot a fist into the air.  "There, case closed."

"Shut up Blaise, of course he likes it, he's a man, _and_ he's your best friend!  Herms, what do you think?"

Hermione fidgeted, always hating being put on the spot.  She gave Blaise an apologetic  smile and  shook her head indicating she was not fond of the table.

Blaise turned red in the face, "Well, what's so bloody awful about it?"  Hermione shrugged her shoulders and walked towards the  table.  She circled it and then sat on the edge of the table.  "It's so awful that there is no way even to begin to explain what's so awful about it."

Ginny shot a triumphant smile towards Blaise.  He glared at her, then softened his expression and approached Ginny with puppy-dog eyes.

"Darling, Gin, my love, I don't object to any of your things."  Draoc almost choked on the laughter he was holding  back


	19. The Big BAng

**Chapter 19: the big bang**

**Ginny and Blaise finally finished getting their new home together. A few weeks after Draco and Hermione's last visit, Ginny sent out invitations to a house warming party.**

**Hermione received her and frowned at what the invite said.**

**Ginny and Blaise Zabini **

**Would like to invite you to a**

**House Warming Party**

**15th of October**

**7:00 p.m.**

**At the Zabini Residence**

**435 Ruthermanor Lane**

**WestchesterNY**

**RSVP**

**If you are of the magical community, then you are reading this! There will be portkeys set up around **

**America, as well as in England and surrounding areas so **

**All may attend. **

**Please owl Ginny and Blaise at your convenience. **

**There will be muggles present, so all wands must be checked at the door upon arrival.**

**Hermione shook her head. 'Leave it to Ginny to make a spectacle of her own house warming party. As if her wedding wasn't ostentatious enough! Honestly, the ministry must be charging up the floo for all the wards that need to be put up, not to mention the portkeys!' Walking towards her bedroom, Hermione thought about who to bring to the party. She knew many of her co-workers would be there. And Harry. 'I wonder who Harry will be bringing...'**

**Draco had received a similar invitation delivered by owl. It was a good thing that his date from the night before was sound asleep, he would not know what to say about an owl arriving at his bed post at 8 in the morning. He scanned the invitation and smirked.**

'**Hogwarts reunion, no doubt. I absolutely have to bring someone ravishing.' Draco looked over at his bed mate, a young girl in her early twenties, flaxen hair and delicate features. He smiled to himself, 'she'll do.'**

**October fifteenth arrived, as well as all invited guests at the Zabini residence. The party was in full swing by the time Hermione and her date arrived. She recognized many people she had met over the years, but did not see Harry in the crowd. Lavender ran up to her, blond hair flying behind her, a huge smile on her face.**

"**Herms! It is absolutely fantastic you're here! I haven't seen you in ages!" Hermione returned Lavender's hug and promptly introduced her date.**

"**Lav, this is Julian, Julian, this is Lavender, an old friend from London." Julian, a tall brooding man in his forties, gave a small nod of acknowledgement to the bubbly blond. Hermione shot lavender a look of apology as Julian dragged her from the front door. Ginny saw Hermione as she and Julian walked into the living room and brought them over to the crowd by the patio.**

**Hermione walked over and said hello to several people before she saw Draco and his date. Her best friend was standing next to a girl! A child! Hermione fumed inside at the sight. Draco brought Emily to the party. Emily, whom Hermione thought was far too young for Draco, was attempting to look interested in what a looked like an old Hogwarts friend was saying to both of them. Draco saw Hermione and waved her over.**

"**Hey! Never thought you'd make it." Draco gave Hermione a hug then nudged her towards Emily. Hermione smiled, "It's great to see you Draco, and Emily, my, you look smashing! I absolutely _love_ your dress!" The blond girl giggled and smiled her thanks. Hermione turned around and rolled her eyes as she walked back towards Julian who was attempting to look interested in what Ginny was babbling about.**

**Ginny saw Hermione approach and ran over to her. "Hey, will you help me in the kitchen for a bit?" Hermione nodded and excused herself from Julian to join Ginny in the kitchen. Blaise took over for Ginny in entertaining Julian.**

"**That Hermione sure is a character. Draco tried to set us up once!" Blaise let out a small laugh. Julian just nodded. "She is something. There's something about her though that I can't quite figure out. There are some times when she just locks herself in her room and you hear crashes and booms and what seems like Latin being spoken. I think it's her way of venting, but I really have no idea."**

**Draco was listening nearby. 'So this is Julian, man extraordinaire! Stupid Granger, doing magic while he's in her home.' **

"**Blaise!" Blaise and Julian stopped talking to turn and face Draco. Draco smirked at Julian, "You'll have to excuse me for a moment, and I need Blaise to look at something in the garage." Before Blaise could protest, Draco had already dragged him halfway across the room.**

**Hermione and Ginny were in the kitchen with the door sealed shut. They were magically summoning more food onto huge platters to bring back out to the buffet.**

"**Gin, don't you think Emily looks a bit young for Draco?" Hermione summoned a few cheeses and had them magically arrange themselves on a platter.**

**Ginny was eating a hunk of brie, gulping down a glass of wine at the same time. "Oh, well, she is a bit young I suppose, but look at what she's done at her age!" Ginny pointed to a collection of pies and pastries that were arranging themselves on several trays.**

"**She's amazing because she makes pastries?" Hermione gave Ginny an incredulous look before summoning more items from the refrigerator.**

**Draco opened the door to the garage and literally shoved Blaise inside. Blaise straightened himself out and looked around. "There's nothing at all wrong in here Draco. What in the world did you drag me in here for?"**

"**Does Julian seem a bit stuffy to you?" **

**Blaise just shook his head, "Look, just talk to the guy, get to know him. He's not all that terrible really."**

**Draco leaned against the garage door, his arms crossed over his chest, bottom lip pouting out. "He's too tall to talk to."**

"**Well, Emily is more than just a pastry maker! I mean, she makes over thirty six hundred chocolate mousse pies a week, not to mention the cakes, the petit fours, the tarts…"**

**Hermione dropped her wand on the counter, "Emily is the baker _Aunt Emily_! _The _Aunt Emily?"**

"**You know, Julian is really great come to think of it. I mean, he did take us out to see _La Traviata_ last week come to think of it."**

**Draco uncrossed his arms, "You all went out together? To the opera!"**

**Blaise shifted uncomfortably, "Well, it was a bit last minute, which was a little inconvenient, but he did have extra tickets and asked Hermione if we wanted to come along…"**

"**But Hermione _hates_ the opera!"**

**Hermione finished the last platter and put a lightening spell on all the trays so they could carry more out at one time.**

"**You know, Draco isn't a very big fan of sweet pastries."**

**Ginny ignored her, "Julian is such a great guy for you Herms."**

**Hermione smiled, "I know Gin, he's a grown up." **

**Draco finally opened the garage door that led back into the house. Blaise followed him back to the party. "You know Dra, Emily is a terrific catch."**

"**I know. I have wines older than she is, but she's great."**

**Draco and Hermione for the most part tried to ignore each other the rest of the party. As Draco and Emily were leaving, Draco noticed that Hermione was talking to Harry Potter in the front parlour. Hermione looked a bit upset. On the way back to the city, Draco dropped Emily off, stating he was tired. He had the urge to call her as soon as he got home.**

**Draco reached his apartment a short while after dropping Emily off. He stripped down to his boxers and scanned the bookshelf in his bedroom for something to read. He found a book and flipped to the last page to read the ending when his phone rang.**

"**Hello?"**

"**Draco? It's Hermione. I just got in. Are you there by yourself?" Draco sat up. He could hear Hermione crying on the phone.**

"**I'm by myself, yes."**

"**Oh Draco, come over! "**

**Draco was already getting his pants on while he cradled the phone on his shoulder. "What's the matter?"**

"**He's getting married!"**

"**Who?"**

"**Harry!"**

**Draco buttoned the last button on his shirt, "I'll be right there."**

**BAM! BAM! BAM!**

**A visibly distraught Hermione answered the door, hair disheveled, and a box of tissues under one arm. Draco stepped inside her apartment. The first thing he noticed was the numerous piles of used tissues all over. He pulled out his wand and discreetly cleaned up as he followed Hermione.**

**_Sniff._ "Sorry to call on you so late." Draco gave her a quick hug, "It's alright." They walked into Hermione's bedroom and flopped down on her bed. Draco sat on the edge handing Hermione a new tissue every thirty seconds.**

"**He came up to me at Ginny's and wanted to see how I was. So I told him I was fine and all, and I asked how he was and yadi yadi yada. He told me his secretary is on holiday, everything is backed up. The whole time he's talking to me I kept chanting to myself, 'I am over him…I am over him.' Then he started talking about that Patil girl he's been seeing." Hermione let out a big sob. After a few seconds, she began to talk again. "She works for the ministry. She's an assistant to the Minister of Magic. He _just_ met her! I mean, he's only been with this Patil woman for less than a year! Oh Draco, she's supposed to be his transitional person, she's not suppose to be _the one_! All this time I've been saying that he didn't want to get married, but the truth is, he just didn't want to marry _me_! He never loved me." Hermione sobbed even harder, sitting up and leaning against Draco's chest. He patted her back, and then lifted her chin so she was looking right at him.**

"**If you could take Harry back _right now_, would you?"**

**Hermione sat up straight and dried her tears, "Well, no, but that's not the point! Why didn't he want to marry me! What's the matter with me?"**

"**Aww, there's absolutely nothing wrong with you."**

"**I'm difficult, that's the problem!"**

**Draco cleared his throat, and paused for a moment to search for the right words. "No, you're challenging."**

**Hermione just shook her head at his comment, "I'm too structured, too…closed off!"**

"**But in a good way!"**

"**No, no! I drove him away Draco! And look at me! I'm going to hit forty soon and I have no one!" Hermione sobbed even harder.**

"**When?" Hermione stopped and blew her nose. "Someday."**

"**Don't be daft; you have eight years before forty hits"**

"**But it's there. It's just…._sitting there_ like this big dead end. And it's not the same for me. Charlie Chaplin had babies when he was seventy three!"**

"**Hey, but he was too old to pick them up!" Draco smiled, but got no response from Hermione. "Come here. It's going to be okay. It's all going to be fine." Hermione sobbed even harder and wiped her nose on Draco's sweater.**

"**Go right ahead, it's not one of my favorite sweaters. Ha, look, it's going to be fine." He kissed Hermione on the forehead. "Look, I'll go make us some tea."**

**Hermione just snuggled closer, "Can you hold me just a bit longer Draco?" Hermione looked up at Draco and met his gaze. Next thing they knew, they were on her bed in a kissing frenzy. Draco held onto Hermione with such fervor it scared him that he was feeling this way right now. He laid her down gently on the bed and began to plant kisses on her collarbone as she struggled to get him out of his sweater.**

**They never made tea.**


	20. The morning after

Hello faithful readers and newcomers. I am writing this part as an introduction to the upcoming chapter. First of all, thank you very much for all the readers. Now, I know that chapter 19 was a "big" chapter…… so you would think. I know some felt it was a bit "rushed," but it was written in that way for a reason. Yeah, Hermione and Draco did "it," but that's the _least_ of their issues. Honestly, the way I see the scene play out, since Hermione was all weepy and Draco was trying to comfort her, it was less romantic and more spur of the moment, but not the great got-caught-in-the-moment moment.

So they had sex, whoopee, but the reason I ran through that chapter without a very graphic description of the coupling was because 1. I really don't care for a descriptive version (unless you, the reader, would like a play by play of the event). 2. I _really_ want to get to the "morning after."

Chapter 20

She sat up, no longer modest about having the sheet around her waist. She propped herself up on her elbows and turned to the man sleeping next to her. His blond hair was disheveled, just the way she liked it. His face looked neither content nor disturbed; he just looked in limbo. Hermione smiled and ran her hand through her hair, attempting to get rid of the tangles that had formed in the midst of their lovemaking. She turned to Draco who was just lying in her bed staring at the ceiling. She snuggled closer to him and laid her head on his chest.

"Are you comfortable?"

Draco shifted a bit, almost as if he was trying to pull away. "Sure."

Hermione sat up again and pulled her hair back in a ponytail and secured it with a clip on her bedside. Draco watched her slender body move in the moonlight. Her skin looked like polished ivory. He was looking at his best friend, yet he felt as if he was looking at a completely different woman. A woman who was not ashamed of her body, who was not asking for things 'on the side,' a woman who made him feel complete in bed. Yet at the same time, it was his best friend whose naked form he was admiring. It was Hermione who was stretching next to him, smiling at him. She turned to Draco and caught him staring at her. At first she almost instinctively wanted to pull the sheet up over her bare chest, but thought twice about it. "Do you want something to drink?"

"No thanks, I'm alright."

"Really Draco, it's not a big deal, I'm going to get something for myself in a bit." Hermione grabbed her robe and slipped it on. Draco suppressed a small groan from escaping his lips. As much as Hermione was someone he never thought to be in this situation with, he certainly did not want her to cover up!

Draco cleared his throat and turned on the bedside lamp. "Well, a glass of water would be nice." Hermione got out of bed and walked out to the kitchen leaving Draco in her bed. Feeling a bit restless, Draco got up and draped a sheet over himself as he looked at the DVD collection Hermione had in her bedroom. He stifled a laugh as he saw that each movie was arranged in alphabetical order according to genre. Hermione walked in and sat down on the floor next to Draco handing him the glass of water.

"I can't believe you have your DVD's alphabetized and organized by genre." Hermione pretended to ignore his comment as she got up and sat back on her bed. "Well, would you like to watch something?" Draco got up and shook his head. "No thanks, unless of course you want to?"

"Oh," Hermione removed her robe and hurried to snuggle under the covers. Her modesty was kicking in and she was beginning to feel the tension building around them. "No, no I don't really want to watch a movie either. Would you rather just go to bed?"

Draco walked back over to the bed. "Yeah, that would be nice." Hermione turned her back to Draco. She felt the bed sag as he got in and switched off the lamp. Neither said goodnight to one another.

**0/0/0/0/0**

Hermione felt the bed covers shift around her and she opened her eyes and turned her head to the other side of the bed. She could see the red glare of the digital clock on the other bed side table. It read 4:06 a.m. Draco was no longer asleep beside her either. After a few moments, Hermione's eyes focused and she saw his shadow by the doorway pulling on his pants and jumper.

"Where are you going," she said groggily.

Even in the darkness, Hermione could see his face lit by the faint light of the moon that snuck in between the cracks of her curtains. She couldn't read his face, but deep in her heart she felt a burden weigh down on her.

"I have to go," Draco said, barely above a whisper. "I, uh, I have to go home and change from yesterday's clothes into _today's_ clothes and then I have to go to work and so do you and after work I would like to take you to dinner if you're free." He took a deep breath. He hated being nervous. He knew how stupid he sounded. "Are you free?"

"Yes," said Hermione, now sitting up in her bed.

"Fine, I'll ring you later then."

"Right, fine, that sounds fine." Draco turned towards the door, then stopped before reaching for the doorknob and turned around and leaned over the bed and gave Hermione a small kiss, and before she could say anything, he walked out.

0/0/0/0/0/0/0

Ginny and Blaise were fast asleep. After all, it was only five in the morning. But almost simultaneously, the phones on either side of the bed began to ring. Ginny's played an obnoxious ring tone. The sleeping couple grunted in their sleep, ignoring the incessant ringing.

"That's your phone that keeps ringing you know," mumbled Blaise as he pulled the covers around him.

"Ugh!" Ginny shot up and glared at her fiancé and his phone, which had decided to shut itself up. Hers, however, was frantically ringing.

"Hello?"

"I'm so sorry to call so early..."

Hearing Hermione's voice woke Ginny up immediately. Hermione never called at inappropriate times. It was very anti-Hermione. Having a call from her at the crack of dawn had to be urgent.

"Are you alright?"

Just then, Blaise's phone began to ring. And it didn't stop.

"Damn this thing." Blaise shot up next to his wife and picked up the phone. "No one I know would call at this hour!"

On the other line, Hermione could not stop sobbing, "Ginny, it was so awful!"

"Draco?" Blaise looked at the caller ID on his mobile and shook his head.

"Blaise, look, I think the depth of our friendship implies a call-at-any-hour policy."

Ginny hit Blaise's arm, shushing him as she tried to listen to Hermione on her phone. "Go on, what happened?"

"Ginny, Draco came over last night..."

Blaise ignored his fiancé's conversation and turned to face the other side of the room. "So what's going on Draco?"

"I went over to Hermione's last night..."

"And you know how upset I am about Harry, Ginny, him getting married and all..."

"...well, one thing led to another...man, Blaise...I was just there..."

"..comforting me and before I knew it we were kissing...and then...oh Ginny! I did something terrible."

"Hermione, what did you _do_?"

"..so to make a long story short..."

"We did it," exclaimed Hermione and Draco over the phone at the same time causing Ginny and Blaise to turn to face each other, as if reading each other's minds.

"They did it," whispered Ginny and Blaise to each other, not quite knowing what expression to have on their faces.

Ginny turned back to her conversation. "That's great, Hermione!"

"Man, we've been hoping this would happen to you two," said Blaise.

"Hermione, you two should have done it in the first place."

"Ginny and I have been talking about the two of you doing it for four months, hoping for it really."

"The two of you belong together!"

"Really, Draco, it's like killing two birds with one stone."

"It's like two wrongs make a right 'Mione."

"That's so great, man."

"So how was it," Ginny and Blaise said at the same time.

"The during part was good..."

"I thought it was good..."

"Blaise, who's that talking?"

"Who?"

"Is that Blaise talking? Ginny?"

"Oh, that, I left the telly on."

"Oh, 'Mione, you know how I always forget to turn the telly off!"

"Tell you what, Draco, why don't you come over for breakfast?" offered Blaise as Ginny said "Hermione, you should come over for breakfast."

Both realizing what they had said, Ginny and Blaise look horrified at the thought of their two friends who had spent the night together showing up on their front steps at the same time.

"I'm not really up to it."

"Thanks Gin, but I feel too awful right now."

"Good," said the couple, breathing a sign of relief.

"It is rather early, isn't it?"

"Call me later if you still need to talk, alright?"

"I'll call you later, darling. I better go before Blaise gets up."

Ginny hung up the phone, her fiancé doing the same. They stared at each other for a moment.

"Merlin..."

"I know," Blaise said, shaking his head.

Ginny laid back down and draped her arm around her fiancé's chest and snuggled up to his warm body. "Tell me I'll never have to be out there again."

Holding Ginny close, Blaise kissed the top of her head, "You'll never have to be out there again."

0/0/0/0/0/0/0

Hermione stared at her reflection in her bathroom mirror as she put on lip gloss and straightened her hair as best as she could.

"I'll just say it was a mistake," she said out loud, as if hearing it would make her morning better.

Across town, Draco was in the shower staring at the steam building up around him.

"Sally," he said to his own reflection in the shower mirror, "it was a mistake."

He slumped against the wall, staring back at his reflection as it fogged back up.

Hermione pulled on her blazer and gathered up her purse. She paused before leaving her bedroom and thought, '_I hope I get to say it first.'_

_'I hope she says it before I do_," mused Draco as he turned off the taps.


	21. Dinner in Silence

Chapter 21

Hermione turned off her laptop and placed itin her bag. She turned off her desk lamp and checked her watch.

_Six-fifteen._

She had nearly an hour to get herself home to get ready for dinner with Draco. All day she had been distracted to the point of insanity. Twice she had dozed off from lack of sleep at the morning staff meeting, and then she proceeded to spill coffee down her white blouse, crash her computer, and lose her favorite lip gloss.

Well, the lip gloss was not a problem, but it just seemed so much more devastating that day.

Placing her mobile in her purse, she shut her office door and walked towards the elevators, her heart pounding loudly in her chest.

0/0/0/0/0/0/0/0/

The waiter placed two wine glasses on the table and poured wine in each before handing them to Draco and Hermione. They had been sitting at their table for nearly twenty-minutes and had barely said two words to each other with the exception of 'hello.'

Gulping down their wine, Draco and Hermione stared at their empty wine glasses before Hermione cleared her throat and took the plunge.

"It was a mistake."

Falling back into his chair, Draco managed a small smile, "I am so relieved that you think so, too."

Both of them finished off the rest of their wine and promptly refilled their glasses.

"Look, Hermione, I'm not saying that last night wasn't a physically pleasurable sexual experience."

"Oh, I know what you mean, it was great."

"Yes, yes it was."

More silence followed, which was soon followed by a second bottle of wine. The salads they ordered came and neither of them touched their plates. Hermione began to push her baby tomatoes around her plate, with Draco following suit by swirling his spinach around the edge of his plate.

"We never should have done it," said Hermione, her eyes never leaving her plate.

"I couldn't agree more."

Taking a swig of her wine, emptying her glass, Hermione finally looked up and tried out the smile she decided she would use that night. She spent the entire ride to the restaurant practicing it.

"Well, I am just so relieved."

"Me too," grinned Draco, practicing his own smile. He spent all day practicing his.

The nodded and returned to playing with their food, occasionally stealing a glance at one another, but careful to not get caught.

"You know, it's so nice when you can sit with someone and not have to talk. It just goes to show how really comfortable you are with a person." Draco looked up to see that Hermione had not lifted her eyes from the table.

And they continued to eat in silence.

0/0/0/0/0/0/0/0

A few weeks later, Draco and Blaise met up for lunch and took a walk around Central Park, dodging the occasional jogger or stopping to take a quick peek at the young women taking their own lunchtime stroll. The two friends walked for a good while before Draco stopped and sat down on a bench.

"It's just like, most of the time you go to bed with someone and then she tells you all her stories and then you tell her all your stories, but with Hermione and me, we'd already heard each other's stories." He leaned his head back and closed his eyes, Hermione's face flashing in his mind. "Once we went to bed, we didn't know what we were supposed to do, you know?"

"Sure, Draco."

"I don't know," continued Draco, "you get to a certain point in a relationship where maybe it's just too late to have sex, you know? It's sort of like...incest."

"You have problems, you know that right?" Draco looked at his friend and just nodded.

0/0/0/0/0/0/0

"So, I heard Draco is bringing Emily to the wedding."

Ginny was struggling to get herself into a corseted wedding dress. They had spent the entire morning looking at and trying on both muggle and wizarding wedding dresses and robes. It was past noon, and they had no luck yet.

"Oh, well, Draco and Emily broke up."

"So, is he seeing anyone then," asked Hermione as she absently mindedly twirled a white scarf around her wrist.

"He was seeing this anthropologist," muttered Ginny has she threw the corseted dress to the side and tried on the last dress that was hanging on the dressing rack in her dressing room.

"So what did she look like," inquired Hermione from the other side of the curtain.

Rolling her eyes, Ginny used her wand to zip herself up while she buckled the matching shoes. "Thin. Pretty. Big tits. Your basic nightmare. I'm coming out...well, what do you think?"

Hermione looked up and was absolutely speechless. Standing before her, Ginny was spinning around slowly in a strapless muggle wedding dress with a small bustle in the back and what looked like magically sewn on sequins that made the dress look luminous.

"Oh Ginny."

"Now tell me the truth."

Hermione stood up, getting choked up at the sight of her friend in the most wonderful dress she had ever seen. She placed her hands on Ginny's shoulders, "It's just beautiful."

Looking down, Ginny still looked skeptical, "You don't think it's silly, I mean, all this white..."

"Ginny, it's beautiful," gushed Hermione, "just beautiful." Her eyes began to fill with tears until she broke into full-hearted sobs. "Just...beautiful..." she managed to get out before she collapsed into a crying heap at the foot of the dress Ginny decided was the one.


	22. Here comes the bride

Chapter 22

**Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Weasley**

**And**

**Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Zabini**

**Cordially invite you to the wedding of**

**Ginerva Weasley and Blaise Zabini**

**December 1st**

**6 p.m.**

**Plaza Hotel**

**Ceremony in the courtyard**

**Reception to follow in the Excelsior Ballroom**

**000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

A light sprinkling of snow had covered the ground sometime around noon on the first of December and had coated the entire city in a light sheet of ice, making everything from the skyscrapers to the streets sparkle under the sun and glitter brilliantly under the moonlight. Ginny and Blaise could not have asked for a more magical evening for their wedding. The courtyard was magically transformed into a winter wonderland, complete with magical ice chairs that stayed frozen but were warm and comfortable. Boughs of holly surrounded the courtyard, fairy lights twinkling in the snow covered tree branches.

The guests arrived and were seated. Draco and Blaise stood at the altar, gazing out into the sea of people who were waiting for the wedding to begin. Suddenly, the lights dimmed, and candles magically appeared, floating in mid air. Those in the magical community smiled appreciatively at the tasteful magic picked for the occasion. In the shadows, Ministry of Magic Security frowned, thinking of how they were going to keep the spell that they had around the famous muggle hotel that was invented to make the muggle guests think that every bit of magic they saw was normal. Even worse was the thought of modifying their memories as they left the reception that evening. There were a lot of muggles at the wedding.

The curtain at the end of the aisle opened and Hermione stood at the entrance and smiled at the guests and walked down the aisle, trying her best not to trip. Her dark red dress flowed around her, her hair falling gracefully down her back. She looked stunning, but she didn't care. She was more terrified than Ginny, knowing that at the end of the aisle wasn't a man who loved her, but a man who hadn't spoken to her in weeks who she was sure she was probably in love with.

She made it down the aisle and breathed a sigh of relief and turned back to the top of the aisle as the music changed. Ginny appeared at her father's arm looking more stunning than she had at the dress shop. Beaming, Ginny glided effortlessly down the aisle.

The rest of the ceremony was a bit of a blur for Draco and Hermione. During the vows, Draco stole a glance at Hermione, who looked back at him for a moment before quickly turning away.

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"We have just heard so much about the work and research that you had done at Salem that we started have our sixth year students read your studies on the effect of polyjuice potion on those who are diagnosed with attention deficit disorders. It's truly fascinating and I can only wish that you were in my class. Professor Dumbledore would have undoubtedly been quite impressed. Shame you decided not to continue with your magical studies. Never have I met such a brilliant mind."

Hermione blushed at the compliments that she was receiving from a Headmistress McGonagall, the current headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She had been speaking to the aging witch for most of the evening, truly enjoying talking about the magical studies, almost regretting that she didn't continue after leaving Salem. Before Hermione could say another word, McGonagall excused herself and walked across the room to sat hello to former student who had just walked into the hall.

The band began playing shortly after dinner, and Hermione now stood in the corner, sipping wine and swaying slightly to the music.

"Hi." Spinning around, Hermione came face to face with Draco who she had been avoiding all night.

"Hello," she said in barely a whisper.

"That was a nice ceremony, don't you think?"

"Beautiful," she said breathlessly, noticing how close Draco was to her.

Draco felt the heat from Hermione's body radiating towards him, making him want to hold her as close to him as possible. He knew, however, just how uncomfortable she was, so he stepped back and decided to listen to the band, letting the silence grow between them.

"Well," said Draco, grabbing a small pastry from a passing waiter, the holidays are a bit rough. I should ring my mother, check on father. Every year I just try to get from day to day until it's the New Year."

Hermione nodded, her eyes never meeting his. "A lot of suicides this time of the year."

The both nodded.

"So, Hermione, how have you been?"

"Fine."

"And Julian? How is he? Are you still seeing him?"

Hermione turned and looked at Draco. He could have sworn her eyes were pleading with him. "Draco..."

"What?"

"I don't want to talk about this."

"Alright. Is it because of what happened?"

Hermione's eyes clouded with anger and something else that Draco couldn't quite figure out. "Draco, I said I don't want to talk about it."

She turned to walk away and he grabbed her arm and pulled her back to face him. "Why can't we get pass this? I mean, are we going to carry this _thing_ around forever?"

"Forever," said Hermione incredulously, "It _just _happened. Well, like, a few weeks ago, but it's not as if its been years!"

"It happened five weeks ago."

Hermione stared at Draco disbelievingly. Draco ignored the look and dragged her across the back of the ballroom to the terrace and shut the doors.

"You know how a year to a person is like seven years to a dog?"

"Yes," growled Hermione, making sure that her irritation was visible.

Draco let go of her arm and threw his hands up. He stared at Hermione, as if expecting her to understand what he was trying to say to her.

Looking at him, Hermione just sighed, "Is one of us supposed to be a dog in this scenario?"

"Yeah." Draco looked at Hermione again, wondering if she understood what he was getting at.

"And who, may I ask, is this dog?" Hermione crossed her arms, tapping her foot impatiently.

"You."

A look of horror spread over Hermione's face. "I am! I'm _the dog_?"

"Yes."

"I'm the dog?"

A few people who had tried to step onto the terrace were now staring through the curtains of the doors and saw Draco and Hermione staring at each other. Hermione looked back and let out what Draco thought was between a scream and a grunt and flung open the terrace doors and marched back into the ballroom. Draco followed her across the room and out into the hallway. Hermione kept walking swiftly before she stopped abruptly, causing Draco almost fall on top of her. She spun around and glared at Draco.

"I don't see that, Draco," hissed Hermione, poking her finger into his chest, making him take steps backwards. "If anyone's a dog, _you_ are the dog. To you, this is something that just happened and you think you can say 'Great! It Happened! Now let's get on with it, we'll go back to the way it was, like what happened didn't mean anything!' "

Hermione had backed Draco against a wall, her eyes filling with tears that she wasn't ready to shed.

Draco closed his eyes, not quite knowing what to say. "Hermione, I'm not saying it didn't mean _anything_, I'm just saying why does it have to mean _everything_?"

"Because it does! And you should know that better than anyone because the minute it happened you walked right out the door!"

"I didn't walk out, I..."

"No, you're right." Hermione stepped back, arms crossed, tears freely spilling down her cheeks. "More like sprinted out the door."

"Why are you crying? We both agreed that it was a mistake!"

"The worst mistake I ever made," sobbed Hermione.

"It's always the same, it's always the same. The minute you make love with someone the expectations start." He was still leaning back against the wall, his head tilted up towards the ceiling. He couldn't stand to look at Hermione. Not when she was crying.

"First of all, I am not 'someone.' Second of all, I don't _expect_ anything from you, okay?"

Draco shook his head and matched Hermione's glare. "Bullshit. You expect me to know how to behave with you now!"

"You don't have to behave any way with me now," screamed Hermione, forgetting that beyond the doors in the hallway, her friend's were celebrating the happiest day of their lives.

Raising his voice, Draco marched away from the wall. "Fine, FINE! But let's get one thing straight," he said, his fists clenched at his sides. "I didn't go over there that night to make love to you. That's not why I went there. But what was I suppose to do? You looked at me, just like you are now, with those big weepy eyes, pleading, 'Don't go home tonight, Draco, hold me a little longer, Draco,' what was I to do?"

"What are you saying? That you took pity on me?" Hermione wiped her eyes, her chest rising and falling as she tried to catch her breath. "Fuck you," she spat out. And without sparing a second, Draco felt the distinctive feel of a palm slapping him across his cheek. Hermione gasped, and ran back into the ballroom, Draco at her heels.

Just as she stepped back to the party, Blaise saw the two of them walk back into the ballroom and he grabbed his wand and muttered '_sonorous.'_

"Attention everyone!" The entire ballroom quieted down, and a spotlight suddenly appeared on Hermione and Draco. "I would just like to propose a toast to Hermione and Draco." Glasses of champagne appeared in everyone's hand. Ginny joined her new husband up on the dais and smiled down at the two people who at that moment wanted to be anywhere but in the spotlight.

The entire room turned to face them, smiled plastered on their faces, glasses raised. Hermione had never felt so ill in her life. Draco made a mental note to kill his friend after he got back from his honeymoon.

"To Hermione and Draco. If Ginny or I had found either of them remotely attractive, we would not be here today!" The room erupted in laughter and cheers. As the noise began to die down, Hermione tried to make her escape when one of Ginny's friends grabbed her by the arm and brought her to the middle of the dance floor. This was by far the worst day of Hermione's life.

Ginny was still up on the dais, her back to the crowd.

'Oh no,' thought Hermione as Ginny's bouquet sailed in a graceful arc towards the throng of single women gathered on the dance floor.

'Oh no.' Hermione watched the bouquet and her heart stopped. It was heading directly for her. Heads turned, including Draco's, to watch her. For a moment she thought about just letting it drop to her feet...but at the last moment, she held out her hands and caught it.


	23. Holiday Humbugs

Chapter 23: Tidings and Good Cheer

The holiday season was fast approaching, which did nothing to alleviate Hermione's mood. She found herself sulking about her flat more so than usual. Her work was slacking, her writing more lackluster than it had ever been when she was not in the right mood. Frequently looking at her message machine, she knew that there were messages in it waiting to be heard. She also knew who they were from. Still feeling a bit discouraged, she got up off her couch and slipped on some clothes and headed out the door.

/ / 

"You know, lady, I can get at least eighty bucks for that tree!" A rather surly looking old man was frowning at Hermione as she began to pull some bills out of her wallet.

"Surely you don't expect me to give you eighty dollars for this small thing!" Hermione stared at the barely five-foot tree that the man was holding. "I'll give you thirty dollars."

"Whatever, lady, just get this thing out of here." Smirking slightly, Hermione handed over her money and began to drag the Christmas tree down the seven blocks to her flat.

When she arrived, she looked around her and pulled out her wand and did a discreet levitating charm on the tree and floated it to her place. As she turned the keys in her door, she heard the familiar 'beep' of someone leaving a message on her machine.

The voice was unmistakably Draco's, slow and drawling, sounding bored and aloof. But there was something else there. A tinge of sadness and remorse that she was not accustomed to hearing.

"_Hi, it's me. It's the holiday season, this doesn't happen to be my most favorite time of the year, but I know you get all worked up about Christmas and I thought I would remind you that it _is_ the season of forgiveness and charity, so if you felt like calling or owling me back, it would make me a very happy person…"_

Hermione dropped the tree and rushed to delete the message, not wishing to hear anymore. Tears welled up in her eyes as she dragged the tree into her home and went off to look for her decorations.

Nearly an hour later, her muggle phone rang, automatically going to her machine.

"_Hello? If you're there, please pick up the phone. I really want to talk to you…"_

"Incendio!"

The piece of plastic burst into flames and with an odd feeling of satisfaction, she watched it melt on the table, leaving her house smelling horrid, but her spirits slightly lifted.

/ / 

Across town, Draco paced back and forth on his carpet, wearing the fibers close to non-existent. HE looked at the muggle mobile phone in his hands and pushed a button.

There was no answer. He waited for the beep and took a deep breath…

"I'll take this as a sign that you're not available. Or else you _are_ available, but you're caught up with that cretin you've been dating. And if you _are_ with him, please understand that when I call him a 'cretin' I mean it in the best possible sense of the word…"

/ / 

As the weather grew colder, so did Hermione's feelings towards Draco. Draco knew how wrong he had been and had tried for the last few weeks to forget about Hermione. He just couldn't for the life of him shake her from his thoughts. He recalled being in a store a few days back smelling in the air the perfume Hermione wore and frantically looking around for a glimpse of her.

"Oi! Draco!" Draco turned his head and saw Blaise coming towards him.

"Man, its too bloody cold in this city. I say we all retire for a nice holiday in Monte Carlo. You're parents still have their estate there don't they? You, me, Gin, and Hermione would have a …" He stopped short seeing the look on Draco's face. "Gads, you're still on the outs with her then?"

"She doesn't want to talk to me." Draco walked over to a bench and sat down, looking up at Blaise. "Well, I don't really care anymore. If she wants to call me, she can call me. I'm through acting like a complete fool for her."

Blaise was taken aback, seeing a look of anger on Draco's face that he had not seen since their time at Hogwarts.

"Ugh! I can't stand it," Draco screamed as he pulled out his mobile phone and dialed frantically. Blaise stood back, unsure of his friend's current mental state.

"Hermione? Please call me…please I beg you….."

"Draco?" Draco almost dropped the phone upon hearing the voice on the other end. He shooed Blaise back, cradling the phone close to his ear, his eyes lighting up.

"Hermione? Is that you?"

"Well, I would expect it to be, you did call my house."

Draco gave a low chuckle, "Right, well, I didn't…you know….didn't think you'd…what are you doing? Want to grab some coffee?"

"Sorry, but I'm on my way out."

"Well, where are you going? We could meet up!" Blaise shook his head. Draco sounded like a love-sick school boy. He tried to pry the phone from him, but to no avail.

"What do you want, Draco?" Blaise heard Hermione scream on the line.

"Nothing, I just called to say…What are you doing for New Year's? Are you going to drop by the Tyler's party?"

Draco listened and heard only Hermione's light breathing on the other end. He heard her sigh.

"'Mione? Do you have a date? Because I don't have a date and if you don't have a date, we always said that if neither of us had a date on New Year's…" Draco was fast running out of breath when Hermione cut him off.

"Draco, I can't do this anymore. I am _not_ your consolation prize. Goodbye Draco."

"Ouch." Draco turned to see Blaise practically hovering over him, a pair of extendable ears resting on his shoulder.

"Shut up," he murmured as he closed his phone and began walking home.


	24. Auld Lang Syne

Hello and thank you all for reading. This very last chapter culminates years of putting off finishing this story. I hope for the most part that you have all enjoyed bits and pieces, if not all, of the story. And if you haven't seen it, go rent "When Harry Met Sally." This last chapter is a good way to start off the New Year. Happy 2006 and thank you for reading. I am in the process of fixing my absolute favorite story, "Versacelf." My fanfiction resolution to get that up and running once more.

Please note that this chapter has a lot of flashback scenes. I will put the entire flashback sequence in _italics_ just in case.

Again, thank you from the very bottom of my heart.

Kissy

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New Year's Eve had to be the most exciting time in the city for Draco. Everywhere you went there were vendors with silly hats and noisemakers, particularly tempting for the hundreds of tourists who were the keenest buyers.

The day started out well enough. Draco got up, stretched a bit, and had a small lump of goo that his new housekeeper had passed off as oatmeal. Ever since Hermione had gone AWOL on their friendship, Draco found that hiring people to do everything for him gave him a steady stream of companions with whom he made small talk with. It was highly unsatisfying, preferring the glorious banter that he and Hermione once shared, but difficult times called for hiring a housekeeper, a driver, a personal assistant, and a personal shopper. He was surprised at the number of witches and wizards who had made a living working as muggles in New York. He swore up and down that his new personal shopper had been an old date from at least seven years back.

As the morning drifted into the afternoon, it soon dawned on Draco that he had not RSVP'd to any of the invitations for New Years Eve gatherings that were still pouring in by muggle mail, owl post, email, and wizmail. Eduardo, his personal assistant, whose name Draco doubted, seeing as "Eduardo" had a slight cockney accent with a light Latin lisp was already at his wits end trying to convince Draco to attend something, anything.

"But dyou musssssss, Meester Draco! Eef 'dyo don' go, nobodeey weel ever wan' you at der party no more!" Eduardo did a slight finger snapping routine in Draco's amused face before stomping out of the study and into the small office Draco had set up for him. It was nearly five o' clock in the afternoon and Draco had dismissed his entire staff, including the agitated Eduardo who looked as if he was going to burst into tears when Draco claimed that he would be spending the evening watching Dick Clark on the telly and eating a tub of pralines and cream.

"All dat junk weel go rite to de thighs. Go ahead! Be all lonely! Me, Eduardo, I go dance all nite long!" After a dramatic flourish of his winter cloak and a slam of the front door, all that was left was Draco standing in the foyer, wistfully looking forward to a moment of quiet.

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Later that evening, Draco found himself splayed rather unattractively across his bed, a bowl of pistachio nuts sitting comfortably on his once toned stomach. He surely looked quite lumpy, lying there, staring at the television, its blue glare giving him a sickly glow.

'Hmmm,' Draco thought to himself as he watched some idiot popstar traipse across the stage in a micro-mini, knowing perfectly well that New York on New Year's Eve was never warmer than a mere thirty degrees. 'This really isn't so bad," he thought to himself, 'I've got Dick Clark, and that's a grand American tradition, I have pumpkin pasties, best treat of all time, and this lovely trollop prancing about the stage giving millions of lonely, middle-aged men like me views of a lifetime!'

Draco sighed, knowing perfectly well that those lonely, middle-aged men were the sort that he tended to make fun of, not emulate. He shut his eyes, the song blaring out of the television fading slowly as his mind drifted off…

_Hermione and Draco twirled about the dance floor like they had been dancing together all their lives. Draco dipped Hermione and she threw her head back, letting out a loud laugh that made Draco smile every time he heard it._

_As he and Hermione continued dancing, Hermione leaned in closer. "Do you think that the fact that we're friends is keeping us from finding someone," she whispered._

"_Yes. So I think we should stop being friends, go home right now, and make love," Draco replied boldly, never meeting Hermione's eyes that were suddenly staring at him with an unreadable emotion._

"_You don't mean that," Hermione whispered. "You don't mean that," she repeated, unsure of whether she meant for him to hear her or not._

Draco sat up quickly, his memory of last New Year's Eve spent with Hermione burning his head with thoughts that did not cheer him up at all.

'Air, I need air,' thought Draco as he rolled himself out of bed and headed towards the front door.

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A large mirrored ball in the middle of the ceiling above the dance floor was a bit tacky, even for a New Year's Eve ball. At least that was the impression it made on Hermione Granger, who was busy keeping her dance partner's hands off her bum and somewhere appropriately above the small of her back. He twirled her, expecting to get a small 'wheeee!' out of it, but it didn't even squeeze a smile on Hermione's face. Blaise and Ginny danced over to her, making Hermione even more furious to see the happy couple.

"I don't know why I let you drag me to this," hissed Hermione. She made sure that she said it loud enough for her soon-to-be-ex-dance-partner to hear. Apparently, she got through and he promptly disappeared, off to fondle other women's behinds.

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'Merlin, its colder out here than I thought,' mused Draco as he slipped into a dark alley and muttered a warming charm on his coat.

He walked down Madison Ave. peering past shop windows. He had been walking for nearly two hours, making it all the way past midtown and was heading towards Chelsea…Hermione's neighborhood. He turned on Sixth and continued to look at the displays of Christmas and revelry still dancing away at the shop windows that he passed.

'Well, this is good,' he thought to himself, 'New Year's resolution # 1: I really ought to take more walks. Just window shop. All the fun without the expense.' As Draco continued down the street, a couple ran past him, the woman throwing her head back, laughing at a joke that was apparently the funniest thing she had ever heard, if her laughter was any indication. Draco's mind began to wander again, to memories of Hermione, the ones that he cherished beyond any other memories…

_There they were, standing in the museum. He remembered that day. It was the first time that Hermione had ever mentioned anything about dating after Harry. He wanted so badly that day to take her to dinner and see what would happen if they perhaps weren't 'just friends.' They were making funny accents, making the word 'pepper' sound like 'pey-pah.' _

'_I think you should wear skirts more. You look good in skirts,' said Draco._

'_I do?' replied Hermione, looking down on her outfit and then checking her reflection on the large glass window behind her._

'_Yeah,' Hermione heard Draco say. What she didn't see was the look of longing in his eyes as she smiled at her own reflection._

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"Oh, ha! That's really rather….erm…funny, yes, absolutely," lied Hermione. She was doing her best to look merry and bright as she accepted another drink from a man who Blaise introduced to her as 'Chip.' It bothered her greatly to have met a person named 'Chip,' but it bothered her even more to not be able to share the moment with Draco.

She felt so empty standing in a room filled with people. Among what was surely thousands of people, not one person had captured her with conversation even remotely close to what she would be having with Draco were he there with her. Ginny walked by, trying her best to be sly and listen in to the conversation. Hermione took the opportunity to grab her by the arm.

"Gin, look, thanks for everything, but I really think I should head home."

"Don't be daft, you'll never get a cab at this point, and best of luck finding an empty place to apparate. Just stay and _try_ to have a bit of fun! You haven't given this evening a chance at all!" Ginny smiled and winked and walked off, leaving Hermione scowling next to Chip, who had launched into what was bound to be the worst joke in the world.

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Looking up, Draco realized that he was at Washington Square. He had stopped in for some ice cream on his walk, which was now causing his hand to go numb. He sighed. This was first New York landmark that he and Hermione had seen when they drove into the city.\

'Brilliant,' thought Draco as the feeling in his hand slowly disappeared, 'its ten degrees out with the wind colder than dementor's breath and here I am eating an ice cream. If only Eduardo could see me now.' He laughed at the sight of his new assistant screaming at him for dripping ice cream on Italian leather loafers.

Dumping the remainder of the cone in the nearest trash bin, Draco looked up at the arch. For a moment, he just wanted to go home, but an overwhelming pull was beckoning him elsewhere. He began to run uptown, running faster and faster, the winding pushing his hair out from its usual confines, leaving it in a state of absolute disarray. He ran and ran, for about five blocks before coming to a stop.

Shaking his head at the stupidity of his actions, he glanced around, pulled out his wand, and apparated.

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Hermione checked her watch. It was nearly midnight. Balloons were hanging in nets, waiting to drop along with the ball. The room began to tremble with excitement as the various party-goers watched on giant television screens as the ball prepared to drop. Not feeling the least bit excited, Hermione reached into her purse to find her coat check slip. Ginny eyed Hermione and grabbed her wrist.

"'Mione, look, its nearly midnight." Ginny pleaded for her friend to remain just a few moments longer.

"I can't stand the thought of not kissing somebody," lied Hermione, hoping that the excuse would loosen Ginny's grip.

"Big deal, I'll kiss you," replied Blaise, slurring slightly, thanks to the open bar their hosts had provided.

Managing a smile, Hermione grabbed her wrist back from Ginny, "Thank Blaise. But I really have to go."

"Two minutes Hermione! Just stay, for me," pleaded Ginny, her voice trembling.

"Sorry, Gin. Look, I'll catch up with you tomorrow, alright?" Hermione turned on her heel and proceeded to walk to the coat room when a sight stopped her in her tracks.

There, in the entrance to the ballroom, stood Draco, his hair askew, face flushed, and eyes searching the crowd until his gaze fell on Hermione. He walked towards her and stopped a mere inches from her.

"I've been doing a lot of thinking, and before you get all puffed up and go, just listen. The thing is, I love you."

Obviously, regardless of the deafening screams of the crowd as midnight neared, Hermione heard Draco. "What?"

"I love you," repeated Draco, his face beaming.

"How do you expect me to respond to this," Hermione screamed out, hoping that Draco could hear above the crowds yells. Sensing that their back and forth shouting would only end up with sore throat, Draco muttered a small spell and soon all that Draco and Hermione could hear was each other breathing.

Draco smiled, "How about you say back, 'I love you too Draco Malfoy' and we can call it a night."

"How about, 'I'm Leaving," huffed Hermione. Turning on her heel, she walked in the opposite direction. Draco followed, grabbing the back of her arm and spinning her around. It was only then that Hermione realized that the spell Draco had cast was still surrounding them both.

"What the hell is wrong with you? Doesn't what I said mean _anything_ to you?" Around them, Hermione could make out the faint sound of the crowd counting down and a chorus of the party-goers screaming 'Happy New Year!' Around her everyone was kissing and hugging, and she snapped her attention back to Draco, tears welling up in her eyes.

"What is it suppose to mean, Draco? I'm sorry. I know it's New Year's Eve and I know you're feeling lonely, but you can't just show up here and tell me you _love me_ and expect that to make it all right! I mean, what am I suppose to say?" Hermione stifled a sob, staring intensely at Draco, whose expression was unreadable. "Great, Draco, you love me, that settles everything, now we can waltz off together, right? No! It doesn't work this way!" This time, Hermione didn't hold back. Rivers of tears smudged her make-up, and out of habit, Draco wiped away a tear.

"Well, love, tell me, how does it work?"

"I don't know, Draco, I just don't." Draco watched Hermione sob harder, and saw that there were people looking at the two of them, surely wondering why they couldn't hear them at all. Ushering Hermione to a small alcove, Draco turned her around so that she was facing him.

He took a deep breath. He practiced this speech on his three hour walk. He had practiced it since the first time he met her. This was his chance.

"Hermione, listen. I love how you get cold when its 62 degrees outside. I love the way your mouth turns down just a little bit, right there," he said as he pointed to the right side of her mouth. "I love how it takes you an hour and half to order a sandwich. I even loved when you used my sweater for a tissue when you had to blow your nose." His eyes searched Hermione's face for a sign that this was getting through to her. He took it as a good sign that she had at least stopped sobbing. In a softer voice, he continued.

" I love it that after spending the day with you I can still smell your perfume on my clothes. I love how you're the last person I want to talk to before I go to sleep at night. It took me eleven years to figure this all out. And I came here tonight because when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with someone, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible."

Hermione's reaction was not at all what Draco had expected. With her fists clenched, she punched Draco in the arm. She knew it actually hurt when she saw him wince.

"See, that's just like you, Draco! You say things like that and you make it impossible to hate you…..I hate you so damn much! I hate you! I hate you! I ha…"

Before the rest of the words could leave her mouth, it was interrupted by the most wonderful kiss either of them had expected. In the background, faint strains of 'Auld Lang Syne' drifted into the alcove where they stood in a tight embrace. Draco looked down and wiped a tear from Hermione's cheek.

"My whole life I have never know what this song means."

Hermione nodded in agreement, resting her head against Draco's chest.

"I think," murmured Hermione, "it's about old friends." She looked up and smiled.


End file.
